ST Aerospace & Alenia Aermacchi Rool-Out First M-346 for the Republic of Singapore Air Force

Aug. 8, 2012

Venegono Superiore (Varese), Italy 7 August 2012 – The first M-346 advanced trainer for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) was rolled out in a ceremony held at Alenia Aermacchi’s plant in Venegono Superiore, Italy.  

In September 2010, ST Aerospace, as the prime contractor, teaming with Alenia Aermacchi (a Finmeccanica company) and The Boeing Company, was awarded a contract to supply 12 M-346 aircraft and ground based training system for the RSAF’s Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) programme.  

The roll-out ceremony was attended by officials from the RSAF, key representatives from ST Aerospace, The Boeing Company and Alenia Aermacchi, as well as staff representatives involved in the programme.

 “We signed the contract less than two years ago and today we have rolled out the first of twelve M-346 aircraft for the RSAF’s Advanced Jet Trainer programme. This is a particularly important moment for our company, a great team job has been achieved in strict collaboration with our industrial counterpart, ST Aerospace, and we are proud to celebrate together with them”.
 ~ Giuseppe GIORDO, Alenia Aermacchi’s CEO and Responsible for Finmeccanica’s Aeronautics Sector

“The successful rollout of the first M-346 illustrates the firm commitment by ST Aerospace and Alenia Aermacchi, in support of the RSAF’s next generation training needs.  Together with our partners we will continue to marry the strengths of one another to deliver an outstanding solution to our customer.”
    ~ CHANG Cheow Teck, President, ST Aerospace

The rollout follows the obtaining of the type certificate and the first flight made by this aircraft in July 2012.  The delivery of the first M-346 is scheduled for the end of 2012.

Background
The M-346 is the ideal platform for a latest-generation integrated training system. The versatility of the M-346 allows for its configuration as an affordable advanced combat aircraft. The innovative technical characteristics of the M-346 provide for a high degree of safety and low acquisition and operating costs. The M-346 has been designed using the latest “design-to-cost” and “design-to-maintain” concepts, with an avionics system modeled on those used in new-generation fighter aircraft, such as Eurofighter, Gripen, Rafale, F-22 and the F-35.

The M-346 received its Military Type Qualification Certificate from the Italian Ministry of Defence - National Armaments Directorate in June 2011, an essential requirement to certify the full correspondence to aircraft specifications and to international military requirements.

In September 2010, the Singapore Government signed the contract for 12 M-346 and ground-based training systems under the AJT replacement programme.  This contract was signed with the consortium, formed by ST Aerospace (prime contractor), Alenia Aermacchi and Boeing. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery this year. Alenia Aermacchi also finalised contracts in June 2011 with ST Aerospace to provide logistics support to the RSAF’s fleet of M-346.

Alenia Aermacchi represents the aeronautics sector of Finmeccanica and is Italy’s largest aeronautics company. Alenia is a worldwide leader in the design, develop¬ment, production, maintenance, and modification of commercial and military aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, military trainer aircraft and aerostructures and has a total workforce of approximately 12,000 people. Alenia has a wide net¬work of joint ventures and product and program¬ partnerships, such as:

•        SCAC with the Russian company Sukhoi for the production of the Sukhoi Superjet 100, a new family of 75-100-seat regio¬nal jets;
•        Eurofighter, with BAE Systems and Cassidian, for the production of the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, a twin-engine supersonic aircraft;
•        GMAS with L-3 Communications for the tactical transport aircraft C-27J for the United States;
•        ATR with EADS for the production of the tur¬boprop regional aircraft.
•        A strategic partnership with Boeing, in the design and production of major structural parts for the 787 Dreamliner.

Alenia Aermacchi is also focused on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) market with the creation of unmanned platforms developed specifically for use as demonstrators of innovative techniques and technologies and participates in international collaboration programs.

ST Aerospace (Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd) is the aerospace arm of ST Engineering.  Operating a global MRO network with facilities and affiliates in the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe, it is the world’s largest commercial airframe MRO provider with a global customer base that includes leading airlines, airfreight and military operators.  ST Aerospace is an integrated service provider that offers a spectrum of maintenance and engineering services that include airframe, engine and component maintenance, repair and overhaul; engineering design and technical services; and aviation materials and management services, including Total Aviation Support.  ST Aerospace has a global staff strength of more than 8,000 engineers and technical specialists.  Please visit www.staero.aero