Leonardo is the successor company to the former Italian state holding Finmeccanica and is currently extremely successful on the market with its M346 jet trainer. An interview with Leonardo aircraft division manager Eduardo Munhos de Campos.
Mr. Munhos de Campos, Leonardo has now fully established itself in the jet sector with its spearhead M346. The model is also an issue for Austria, isn’t it?
Our aircraft have been established for decades, with the former Aermacchi MB326 having been built 800 times and the MB339 more than 200 times. The twin-engine M346 now flies in Italy, Singapore, Israel and Poland. Unfortunately, I can’t say much about Austria, there was interest and demand, and we are also present. At the moment, however, it is not entirely clear what will happen next. The completely new and single-jet M345HET (note: a high-efficiency trainer) may also become an issue. We will just have to wait and see.
What is the feedback from M346 users?
The feedback ranges from overwhelming satisfaction to open admiration. The mix of “real” and virtual training is very efficient, both in terms of costs and training. A new multinational flight instructor course has just started in Lecce, also with an Austrian major. I am convinced that we are offering the best quality of training for military pilots on the market. We hear that Israel is already expanding its training spectrum.
Yes, that’s true. Israel is in the process of expanding the spectrum on their 30 Lavi, they are equipping a new software block for the use of additional tanks and training bombs. They have also recently presented a small fighter version of the M346. One version will be known as the M346FA from next year, with Grifo on-board radar and EloKa self-protection. However, we still need a launch customer for this model. In addition, there will still be the basic trainer and the M346FT combat trainer with armament capability. Incidentally, we have already successfully tested this in Italy and at NATO level as an “aggressor sparring partner”. This spectrum, which is partly outsourced to civilian companies, will become increasingly important in future for cost reasons.
Finally, on another subject: your ATR-72MP naval patrol aircraft was recently on display in Malaysia. Will Leonardo also be involved in this segment in the future?
Yes, we are trying to bring our 1,800 turboprop commercial aircraft, the most built to date, into this rapidly growing segment. The increasing importance of coastal and territorial sea control has recently prompted Malaysia, for example, to prioritize this capability over the procurement of fighter jets.
Interview & photos: Georg Mader
