This cooperation could potentially also have an impact on Austria: Leonardo and Nexter have launched a joint development program to introduce a new cannon for the fighter version of the M-346FA advanced jet trainer.
As is well known, the Austrian Armed Forces are looking for a successor to the Saab-105OE, which was taken out of service more than two years ago.. In addition to the L-39NG from the Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody the M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer from Leonardo is particularly promising. However, the Austrian Armed Forces are not interested in the pure trainer version, but in a variant with armament capability that “not only allows us to cover training requirements, but also complements airspace surveillance”, as Major General Harald Vodosek, Head of Procurement of the Austrian Armed Forces, recently explained in an interview with Militär Aktuell. in an interview with Militär Aktuell explained. At Leonardo, this version bears the suffix “FA” for “Fighter Attack” and it is precisely for this purpose that the Italian manufacturer has now concluded a development agreement with the French defense company Nexter. Following a successful feasibility study, in which the possibility of installing a Link & Case Recovery (LCR) system in the M-346FA was demonstrated, the two companies are now working together on the integration of a new 20-millimeter cannon in the M-346FA. This is the easy to integrate, operate and maintain ITAR-free 20M621 weapon solution, whose 20-millimeter cannon promises more range, accuracy and effectiveness compared to the 12.7/.50 caliber. https://militaeraktuell.at/era-niederlande-kaufen-vera-ng-radare-fuer-die-ukraine/ Dario Marfè, Senior Vice President Commercial, CSS&T & Proprietary Programs Business at Leonardo Aircraft said: “We firmly believe that Nexter is the right partner for us. The integration of the 20-millimeter gun pod will increase the operational capability of the M-346FA in Homeland Defense, COIN, Close Air Support/Close-In Combat.” Philippe Reynes, Head of Weapon Systems and Turrets at Nexter Systems, said: “We are proud of the trustful relationship we have built with Leonardo by taking the specific requirements for air platforms very seriously. For example, the safety of these platforms is ensured by the fact that our nacelle picks up all limbs and pods after launch. In addition, the NC621 is mechanically tuned to guarantee the pilot maximum precision. This system is an example of our expertise as a manufacturer of medium-caliber weapons.”
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