M-346 훈련기를 선호하는 이스라엘 공군

 

AW&ST 7월 4일字로 보도된 이스라엘 공군의 고등훈련기 도입 관련 기사를 소개 합니다. 제목을 통해 이스라엘 공군이

KAI T-50 보다 M-346 을 선호한다고 밝혔습니다만, 아래 기사에 의하면 (역시 T-50 소식이 나오면 항상 언급되는 내용

입니다만) 가격 경쟁력에서, M-346 이 앞서 있다는 내용 입니다.

 

또한 성능적으로 T-50 이 다소 앞선 것은 사실이지만, M-346 의 경우 훈련 조종사들 입장에서는 좀 더 다루기 쉬운(?)

기종으로 생각하고 있다고 합니다. T-50 의 성능이 F-16 Fighting Falcon 에 근접한다고 하는데, 과연 훈련생의 입장

에서 보자면 이런 비교가 적절한 것인지 당장 판단하기는 힘들다고 보여집니다.

 

끝으로 아래 기사에서는 기종 선정에 있어 정치적 요소도 무시할 수 없으며 특히 T-50 의 경우, KAI 와 美 Lockheed

Martin 社가 공동으로 개발한 기종이지만, 이번 이스라엘 고등훈련기 구입 사업에 Lockheed Martin 社는 공식적으로

참여하고 있지 않다는 점을 언급하고 있습니다.

 

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Training Ground

M-346 may have cost edge over T-50 to win Israel’s trainer procurement

Aviation Week & Space Technology, 07/04/2011

Author : Alon Ben-David

 

As the tight race between Alenia Aermacchi and Korea Aerospace Industries in Israel’s trainer competition approaches the finish line, the Israeli air force appears to be favoring the Italian M-346 over KAI’s T-50 Golden Eagle.

 

“Both are excellent platforms,” a senior Israel air force official tells Aviation Week.“But the Italian offer seems more attractive in terms of costs.”

 

Apart from cost and performance, several air force officials indicate the improving political and military ties between Israel and Italy could tilt the decision. In the last two years, Italy’s embattled prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has become the closest — and almost only European — ally of his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the countries’ two air forces have accelerated their joint exercises.

 

“Political considerations are important,” says Giuseppe Giordo, CEO of Alenia Aeronautica. “But more important are the characteristics of the aircraft and the industrial cooperation that we are offering the Israeli industries.”

 

The Israeli air force will formally issue a request for proposals next month. It is expected to call for 30 trainers to be assembled in Israel by a joint venture of Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems. The air force will not procure the trainers directly from the manufacturer, but will rather buy flight hours from the joint venture.

 

The selected trainer will replace the Israeli air force’s aging A-4N Skyhawks and F-16A/Bs, which now serve as advanced jet trainers for qualified pilots. It is meant to prepare pilots to operate the advanced F-16I and F-15I as well as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

 

The contract marks the first time in decades that the air force will procure a non-U.S. aircraft. Israel’s close ties with the U.S. would give KAI an advantage, since its offering has greater U.S. technology content. However, Lockheed Martin, which worked with KAI on the design and development of the T-50, is not an official partner in the proposal for Israel. What is more, Alenia is trying to increase U.S. content on its M-346, in part with an eye on the massive U.S. Air Force T-X program (see p. 53).

 

The two rivals are considering the Israeli selection as a precursor to the T-X competition to replace the T-38, although the battle lines there are still forming and BAE Systems will also enter its Hawk advanced jet trainer. “Clearly, an Israeli selection of the M-346 will in some way influence the campaign for the T-100 in the U.S.,” said Giordo, using Alenia’s nomenclature for the M-346 in the U.S. bid.

 

Maj. Gen. Ido Nechoshtan, commander of the Israeli air force, flew one of the three M-346 prototypes in Italy in June, and other senior officers have gathered experience both on the Italian and South Korean trainers. “The T-50 is more similar to an advanced F-16,” one officer tells Aviation Week. He adds that “the M-346 is much friendlier to an inexperienced pilot.” The T-50 also has the advantage of supersonic speed, compared to the transonic M-346.

 

Alenia’s trainer has been selected by the Italian and Singaporean air forces, although a deal with the United Arab Emirates is on hold. The T-50 is operated by South Korea’s air force and was selected recently by Indonesia. The two aircraft are competing to meet a Polish air force requirement for 16 trainers; BAE Systems withdrew from that competition because of Warsaw’s interest in a high-end system with light attack capabilities.

 

 

  Korean Aerospace Industries T-50 Golden Eagle ⓒ Katsuhiko Tokunaga

 

  ⓒ Katsuhiko Tokunaga

 

  ⓒ Katsuhiko Tokunaga

 

  Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master ⓒ Finmeccanica

 

  ⓒ Finmeccanica