Aermacchi M-345

M-311/M-345

The M-311 at the Paris Air Show in 2007
Role	Light attack aircraft and advanced trainer
National origin	Italy
Manufacturer	Alenia Aermacchi
First flight	M-311 1 June 2005 M-345 29 December 2016
Status	Under development
Number built	2
Developed from	SIAI Marchetti S.211

The Alenia Aermacchi M-345 (M-311 before 2012) is a turbofan-powered military trainer aircraft. It is a development of the SIAI Marchetti S.211/Aermacchi S-211.

Design and development

The M-345 is a small tandem two-seat shoulder-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear, powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-5C turbofan. It is based on the earlier S-211, with the addition of both structural and equipment improvements. The airframe has been strengthened, and a glass cockpit and modern avionics have been added. As a basic trainer, the aircraft is designed to complement the Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer. The aircraft was designed with a secondary close air support capability with five underwing hardpoints.

The prototype aircraft first flew in June 2005.^[1]

In April 2008, Alenia and ENAER of Chile signed an agreement to jointly manufacture and sell the M-346 and M-311 in South America.

On 28 May 2008, Boeing and Alenia signed a joint agreement to cooperate on marketing, sales, training and product support for both the M-346 and M-311.^[2]^[3]

On 1 June 2015, Alenia Aermacchi presented the M-345 jet to the DGA for the nascent French replacement program for its Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets. It is developing the Williams International FJ44-4M-powered M-345 for the Italian air force.^[4] The M-345 first flew on 29 December 2016.^[5]

Italy placed an initial order for five M-345s for the Italian Air Force on 13 January 2017. It has a requirement for up to 50 aircraft to replace Aermacchi MB-339s used in the basic training role and by the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team.^[6]

Variants

Alenia Aermacchi M-345 at Paris Air Show 2013.

M-345 For Italian Acrobatic Team "Frecce Tricolori"

M-311: Modernized and uprated version of the SIAI Marchetti S.211/Aermacchi S-211; two prototypes built.^[7]

M-345HET: Redesignation of the M-311 from 2012, powered by 1 Williams International FJ44-4M turbofan^[8]

Specifications (M-311)

Data from Alenia Aermacchi official site

General characteristics

Crew: Two (student and instructor)
Length: 9.85 m (32 ft 32 in)
Wingspan: 8.47 m (27 ft 78 in)
Height: 3.74 m (12 ft 27 in)
Wing area: 12.6 m² (135.6 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,300 kg (5,070 lb)
Useful load: 1,000 kg (2,205 lb)
Loaded weight: 3,200 kg (7,055 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 4,100 kg (9,040 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5C turbofan engine, 14.19 KN (3,190 lbf)

Performance

Never exceed speed: 795 km/h (430 knots, 495 mph)
Maximum speed: 740 km/h (400 knots, 460 mph)
Stall speed: 156 km/h (84 knots, 97 mph)
Range: 1,778 km (960 nm, 1,105 miles)
Service ceiling: 12,190 m (40,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 1,438 m/min (4,720 ft/min)
Thrust/weight: 0.452:1
Acceleration limits: +7.33g (+71.9 m/s²)/−3.5g (−34 m/s²)

Armament

Up to 1000 kg (2,205 lb) of weapons on five hardpoints, including gunpods, bombs, and rockets.

References

↑ "Training aircraft", Projects (gallery), Airforce technology .
↑ Defense News .
↑ Boeing (press release), May 26, 2008, archived from the original on June 29, 2008 .
↑ Perry, Dominic (16 June 2015). "Paris: France plans Alpha Jet replacement". Flightglobal. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
↑ Stevenson, Beth (3 January 2017). "Maiden Flight for M-345 Trainer". Flightglobal. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
↑ Nicolli Air International July 2017, p. 11.
↑ "S.211" (production list). NL: SIAI-Marchetti. Archived from the original on 2006-10-28.
↑ Alenia picks FJ44 for M-345 trainer, mulls SF-260 replacement

Nicolli, Ricardo (July 2017). "High Efficiency Trainer". Air International. Vol. 93 no. 1. p. 8–11. ISSN 0306-5634.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aermacchi M-345.

"M-345", Training systems products, Leonardo .
"M-311 – Basic Jet Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft", Projects, Airforce technology .

Aircraft produced by Alenia Aeronautica and Alenia Aermacchi
Aeritalia designs	G.91Y G.222
Alenia Aermacchi designs	C-27J M-311/M-345 M-346
UAVs	Sky-X Sky-Y
Joint ventures	AM.3 AMX ATR 42 ATR 72 Tornado Typhoon

Aircraft produced by Macchi/Aermacchi
Macchi	L.1 L.2 M.3 M.4 M.5 M.6 M.7 M.8 M.9 M.12 M.14 M.15 M.16 M.17 M.18 M.19 M.20 M.24 M.26 M.33 M.39 M.40 M.41 M.52 M.53 M.67 M.70 M.71 M.C.72 M.C.73 M.C.77 M.C.94 M.C.99 M.C.100 M.C.200 M.C.201 M.C.202 M.C.205 M.B.308 M.B.320 M.B.323
Aermacchi	MB-326 MB-335 MB-338 MB-339 MB-340 M-311/M-345
Joint ventures	AM.3 AMX M-346
Purchased designs	AL-60 S-211 SF.260 M-290

Italian Armed Forces aircraft designation system
1–100	Q-1 G-2 H-3D/H-3F G-4 AV-8 Q-9 Q-10 A-11 Q-11 Q-12 F-16 G-17 G-21 C-27 F-35 C-42/P-42 H-47 C-50 P-72 H-90
101-200	H-101 G-103 H-109 H-129 C-130 H-139 U-166 C-180 A-200
201-400	H-205 H-206 U-208 H-212 C-222 C-228 T-260 C-319 T-339 T-345 T-346
401-2000	H-412 H-500 KC-707 KC-767 C-900 P-1150 F-2000

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