Leonardo announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) with PT ESystem Solutions Indonesia and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Republic of Indonesia aimed at cooperating for the supply and support of the Leonardo M-346 F “Block 20” aircraft to meet Indonesian Air Force operational requirements.
The LOI follows the selection of the M-346 by the MoD to respond to Indonesia’s training and combat capability needs. The programme will provide a major contribution to the MoD pursuing an aircraft fleet modernization plan leveraging on the M-346 advanced technology and performance to replace ageing types, such as the Hawk, among others.
The LOI also includes the localization of a range of support, maintenance, overhaul, training capabilities as well as human capital development. The parties will now move into the next stage of discussions, intended to achieve a procurement contract signing soon.
The new M-346 F “Block 20” light fighter configuration standard will be equipped with cockpits featuring a Large Area Display (LAD), active electronically scanned radar, a Link 16 data-link, electronic countermeasures, and new weapons systems. Leonardo’s platform simultaneously offers a complete, integrated advanced flight training system – including a GBTS (Ground Based Training System), combined simulated elements and scenarios with real flights according to a Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) logic – with additional light combat capabilities for air-to-air and air-to-surface missions, enabled by advanced mission systems, equipment and sensors, also including aerial refuelling capability.
The M-346 is the core element of a cutting-edge and continuously evolving advanced flight-training system that has already demonstrated its effectiveness: a success story that has logged over 150,000 hours in flight with nearly 160 aircraft sold to date, enabling several air forces worldwide – including Asia – to train pilots for flying high-performance, latest generation fighters and to prepare transition towards the next-generation ‘combat air systems’.
Twenty countries already train their pilots on the M-346 – including those leveraging Italy’s I International Flight Training School – or have chosen this aircraft, in the fighter version, as a light multirole fighter. Thanks to its high-performance capabilities and manoeuvrability, the M-346 has also been chosen by the Italian Air Force as the future aircraft for the “Frecce Tricolori”, Italy’s national aerobatic team.
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