The first M-346 aircraft produced for the Italian Air Force (ITAF) had a successful first flight on March 31, according to prime contractor Alenia Aeronautica.
The ITAF has designated the plane as the T-346A. Alenia is a division of Finmeccanica Group.
“The first flight of the T-346A, soon to enter service with our country’s Air Force, is an important milestone for the M-346 program, a milestone reached through the dedication of the entire work force of the Venegono plant,” said Giuseppe Giordo, CEO of Alenia Aeronautica and head of the aeronautics sector of Finmeccanica.
Flown by chief test pilot Quirino Bucci, the aircraft took off at 4 p.m. local time from Venegono. The flight lasted 40 minutes, and the T-346A reached a maximum altitude of 15,000 feet, covering the planned flight envelope in terms of speed, angle of attack and load factor. The flight also included maneuvers to assess aeromechanical handling of the aircraft and systems functionality, according to a statement released yesterday by Alenia.
The ITAF T-346A is the first M-346 series production aircraft completed. The Alenia Aermacchi site in Venegono now operates a highly-automated production line capable of delivering up to 48 aircraft per year, the company says. The remaining aircraft for the Italian Air Force are already being built on this new assembly line, and production of the 12 aircraft ordered by the Singapore Air Force is also underway.
Alenia North America is preparing a potential bid on the U.S. Air Force’s T-X Trainer Replacement Program with the T-100, the U.S. variant of the M-346.
The Air Forces of several nations have expressed interest in the aircraft, which meets the training requirements for aircraft such as the F-22, F-35 and Eurofighter.