Leonardo M-346 Thread

As we all know, Italy is pitching their M-346 to GCAP partners. These are more details.

www.flightglobal.com

Leonardo pitches M-346 as GCAP trainer, as Block 20 update advances

Leonardo has outlined its ambition for the M-346 to evolve into a common training platform for Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) partners Italy, Japan and the UK, as it advances work on a major Block 20 upgrade for the in-service type.
www.flightglobal.com www.flightglobal.com

The model they are pitching is block 20 which concluded PDR last year and is set for CDR on the second half of this year. First customer of the block 20 will be Austria. Though is is still yet to be decided whuch AESA will be used for Austrian model, which is surprising, since I've thought that it automatically would be Griffo-E.

Though it is also true that Hanwha and Leonardo signed a deal to joint-develop a small AESA for this class, so maybe for future customers it would be offered instead of the older Griffo-E which has become a bit dated.

of 140+ ordered, 99 are in service. Main focus in developing a GCAP-oriented M-346 is the MMI. Makes sense since a GCAP trainer would need to play the role of LIFT to 6th gen as well as surrogate to GCAP, which would be very expensive to simply use for peace-time training. Replicating GCAP MMI with onboard ETS would be key.

Anywyas, it seems like the right time and right mood for the M-346 to find further success. and it also makes sense for both Britain and Japan as well.
 
But can it do the 20deg AoA as required? I did not also read any listed modifications planned to the landing gear. Anything in the work? Changing display size is pretty good but hard data on performances might be more valuable. (remember the T-X disaster)
 
The above article is from June 2024. In this more recent article about the new M-346 Block 20, they mention max. AoA is now 30 degrees and it will also include a new cockpit with large displays:
theaviationist.com

Leonardo Unveils New M-346 Cockpit with Large Area Display

The M-346 Block 20 will introduce an advanced Human-Machine Interface to replicate the operational environment of next-gen combat aircraft. During the
theaviationist.com theaviationist.com
 
One question that I have got concerning the M-346 is what are the chances of the RAF buying the type to replace the Hawk as an advanced jet trainer? The hawk is getting on and the M-346 would be a good replacement for it.
 
FighterJock said:
One question that I have got concerning the M-346 is what are the chances of the RAF buying the type to replace the Hawk as an advanced jet trainer? The hawk is getting on and the M-346 would be a good replacement for it.
Click to expand...
Good point.
Leonardo has recently proposed the M-346 Block 20 as common trainer for all the Tempest partners.
 
FighterJock said:
One question that I have got concerning the M-346 is what are the chances of the RAF buying the type to replace the Hawk as an advanced jet trainer? The hawk is getting on and the M-346 would be a good replacement for it.
Click to expand...
Nope, not sure that's going to happen:

www.thesun.co.uk

Outrage as iconic RAF Red Arrows in danger of being replaced by Russian jets

BRITAIN’S Red Arrows display team may trade in its iconic fleet for Russian-designed jets — sparking fury. The M-346s are being considered by RAF chiefs who need to retire ageing Hawks. Replacing t…
www.thesun.co.uk www.thesun.co.uk
 
The problem is that politicians including Starmer appear to have swallowed this B.S. already. He was asked about it on Monday when he visited the JLR factory. His comments have been widely reported including in the Independent.
www.independent.co.uk

Starmer vows there will be ‘no Russian influence’ on Red Arrows

The aerobatic display team’s ageing Hawk jets will not be replaced with a Russian design, Sir Keir Starmer indicated.
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk
 
bob225 said:
Nope, not sure that's going to happen:

www.thesun.co.uk

Outrage as iconic RAF Red Arrows in danger of being replaced by Russian jets

BRITAIN’S Red Arrows display team may trade in its iconic fleet for Russian-designed jets — sparking fury. The M-346s are being considered by RAF chiefs who need to retire ageing Hawks. Replacing t…
www.thesun.co.uk www.thesun.co.uk
Click to expand...

Sorry for the swearing. Back to the point I wanted to make... M-346 and Yak-130 split 25 years ago, hence the Sun "argument" is the silliest thing I've ever red. I mean, the outrage would be understandable if the Red Arrows were given Yak-130s. But, as I said before THE TWO SPLIT 25 YEARS AGO !!!
 
bob225 said:
Nope, not sure that's going to happen:

www.thesun.co.uk

Outrage as iconic RAF Red Arrows in danger of being replaced by Russian jets

BRITAIN’S Red Arrows display team may trade in its iconic fleet for Russian-designed jets — sparking fury. The M-346s are being considered by RAF chiefs who need to retire ageing Hawks. Replacing t…
www.thesun.co.uk www.thesun.co.uk
Click to expand...
Calling It a russian designs sound's like Italy took a russian design and rebranded It without taking into account that It was a joint development (and both M346 and yak130 are very different even from a design perspective, the only thing they have in common Is theyr father, the Yak/aem 130 demonstrator wich Is clearly not what Is proposed to the UK). Here a small graph just for point out theyr external differences, which Is the only part were they share some similarity (without taking into consideration sistems, weapons and every internal part).
 

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The Sun or any UK tabloid newspaper - or any newspaper come to that - should not be relied on as a source of news.
I doubt anyone on the staff of the Sun is even old enough to remember the original Alenia/Yakovlev agreement!
The dissolving of the partnership in 2000 is in line 3 of the Wikipedia article - the budding journo didn't even need to read more than two sentences!

Just sheer rage bait for the sake of making a fuss out of completely nothing.
 
Archibald said:
Sorry for the swearing. Back to the point I wanted to make... M-346 and Yak-130 split 25 years ago, hence the Sun "argument" is the silliest thing I've ever red. I mean, the outrage would be understandable if the Red Arrows were given Yak-130s. But, as I said before THE TWO SPLIT 25 YEARS AGO !!!
Click to expand...
Thank you, the biggest problem is that the greater unwashed read and believe everything "the Sun" report.

Why let the truth in the way of a clickbait story.

I can see politicians being swayed by the potential negative opinions, but with GCAP it would make lots of sense for RAF, Italy and Japan to all use the same trainer, perhaps that will be part of the whole package?

Frecce Tricolour certainly look cool in them, lets hope the Reds do go that way.

Cheers
 
A Tentative Fleet Plan said:
I trust Alenia-Aermacchi to deliver a functional trainer more than AERALIS, the latter seems like vapourware.
Click to expand...
I agree, only Alenia-Aermacchi no longer exists.
Now is a Leonardo's division.

aircraft.leonardo.com

Advanced performance aircraft

Leonardo’s latest generation planes cover defence, aerial surveillance, reconnaissance, pilot training and tactical transport
aircraft.leonardo.com aircraft.leonardo.com
 
Hood said:
And there was me just thinking the other day that we hadn't heard much about Aeralis lately...
Click to expand...
When was the last article? 2023?
ukdefencejournal.org.uk

AERALIS announce new jet aircraft design

This next-generation design of the Common Core Fuselage (CCF) will be the backbone of the company's future aircraft fleet. #DSEI23
ukdefencejournal.org.uk ukdefencejournal.org.uk
I remember about this One.
 

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