Posted on 02/24/2012 3:40:21 PM PST by kronos77
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has selected the Alenia Aermacchi M346 as its new advanced jet trainer, in preference to the Korean Aircraft Industries (KAI) T-50. A joint venture between IAI and Elbit will acquire some 30 aircraft and provide training courses to the IAF under contract. The Israeli defense ministry said that the deal is worth about $1 billion, and that the Italian government has agreed to purchase equipment from the Israeli defense industry worth a similar amount, in offset.
KAI officials attending the Singapore Airshow last week made clear their displeasure at the Israeli decision-making process. KAI had previously selected the IAI-Elta EL/M-2032 radar for the attack version of the T-50, and was offering further offsets in the keenly fought Israeli contest.
In a reference to the offset provision, Alenia Aermacchi chief executive officer Giuseppe Giordo referred to the “synergic collaboration between the Italian industry and authorities.” The Italian air force is now expected to order AEW aircraft equipped with IAI-Elta radar systems, either the CAEW system hosted on the Gulfstream G550 or, more likely, the new active rotating array system hosted on the EADS-CASA C-295 airlifter.
(Excerpt) Read more at ainonline.com ...
can't tell if the nose wheel is going up or coming down but the intake gutter is open
Sweet ride - I’d like one.
Nice looking little jet.
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