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M-346, discovering the new Frecce Tricolori aircraft

Leonardo's M-346 has been chosen as the future aircraft of Italy’s National Aerobatic Team. The aircraft with Frecce Tricolori’s livery was unveiled on 12 September at the Istrana base (Treviso, Italy), during the ceremony held by the Italian Air Force for the return of the Frecce Tricolori aerobatics team from their North American tour.

Fully digital flight controls and avionics, a fly-by-wire flight control system with quadruple redundancy, and a highly advanced Human-Machine Interface. This is the technology behind Leonardo's M-346, the most advanced training aircraft at the international level.

 

Fly-by-wire flight control system

System that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface.
 

REDUNDANCY

Presence of multiple elements capable of performing a certain function within a system in order to preserve the integrity of the system in the event of a malfunction.

The M-346 is the backbone of the International Flight Training School in Decimomannu (Sardinia, Italy), an advanced flight training centre for military pilots from the world's Air Forces, born from the collaboration between Leonardo and the Italian Air Force. The aircraft is the fulcrum of an articulated training system based on the most innovative simulation technologies, which goes beyond augmented reality:

 

  • Embedded Tactical Training System (ETTS)

    Integrated on-board system for tactical training simulation, enabling the aircraft to offer the full spectrum of flight-simulated training functions.

  • Ground Based Training System (GBTS)

    Ground training segment, consisting of various flight and mission simulation systems, multimedia and classroom courses, mission planning and training management systems.

  • Integrated Logistic Support (ILS)

    Service that optimises fleet and simulator management for optimal operational use.

  • Live, Virtual, Constructive (LV)

    System based on the synthesis of “real and virtual” environments, which allows pilots to operate simultaneously - and in combination - in LVC mode: Live (real flight), Virtual (with various types of simulators) and Constructive (all kinds of forces and threats generated by a computer). 

Photo credits: Italian Air Force