이스라엘의 M-346 구입과 이탈리아의 G550 CAEW 대응구매

 

(최종 확정된 내용이 아니라, 양국간에 이러한 대응구매 가능성이 있다는 기사라는 점 참조바랍니다.)

 

 

Training Friendship

In race between Alenia and KAI for Israeli trainer, Italians work their influence

Aviation Week & Space Technology, 10/10/2011

Author : Alon Ben-David

 

While Alenia Aermacchi and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) vie for Israel’s advanced trainer, a growing spat among the competitors and their national backers is beginning to mar what was widely seen as a rehearsal for the larger U.S. Air Force T-X competition.

 

South Korea is threatening to suspend all defense contracts with Israel, claiming that the highly contested tender for Israel’s advanced trainer was already decided in favor of Alenia Aermacchi’s M-346 Master over KAI’s T-50 Golden Eagle.

 

Korean officials have found that while the competition is seemingly being conducted impartially, Israel and Alenia supporters have been working up a deal under which Italy would buy two Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signals intelligence (sigint) aircraft in return for Israel’s selection of Alenia’s M-346 as its next trainer.

 

This plan, which is not part of the trainer tender, has infuriated the Koreans. The South Korean ambassador to Tel Aviv informed the Israeli defense ministry that he sensed a decision was already made in favor of the M-346. Moreover, he implied that future defense contracts between the two countries could be in jeopardy. Contracts have totaled more than $300 million annually in recent years.

 

Korea selected IAI’s EL/M-2032 multimode radar for its F/A-50, the lightweight fighter version of the KAI T-50 trainer, as well as Elisra’s electronic warfare suite and Elbit’s heads up display. But now it is being said that the head of Korean defense acquisitions could visit here soon to announce that the deal, totaling $240 million, will be canceled unless a fair competition over the trainer is maintained.

 

Both Italy and Korea consider the Israeli trainer competition a significant precursor for the T-X, which also is expected to include a Hawk-based bid from a Joint BAE-Northrop Grumman team (AW&ST Sept. 26, p. 34).

 

Israel is planning to procure 30 trainers through a joint venture of IAI and Elbit Systems, which would assemble the aircraft in Israel, maintain them and provide the Israeli air force (IAF) with flight hours under a $700-800 million contract. Accordingly, Israel is seeking to sell the Italian air force two G550 special electronic-mission aircraft, to be supplied by IAI and Alenia for roughly the same cost.

 

Operations in Libya have heightened the need of the Italian air force to replace its only G222 VS sigint aircraft with a more modern platform. But it is not clear whether Italy could find the funding for the offset deal. Meanwhile, Israel is delaying selection of the M-346 or KAI’s T-50 Golden Eagle, even as air force officials repeatedly have indicated they favor the Italian trainer for reportedly being more user-friendly and attractive in terms of cost.

 

“The T-50 is more similar to an advanced F-16,” an Israeli officer who flew both aircraft told Aviation Week. “The M-346 is much friendlier to an inexperienced pilot,” he added.

 

When pressed for an official response, Israeli government officials denied that they have already chosen Alenia. 

 

 

  ⓒ Alenia Aermacchi

 

  ⓒ Alenia Aermacchi

 

  ⓒ Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.