Alexia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica Company controlled by Alenia Aeronautica, is the world leader in the design, production and support of military training aircraft and solutions with a century-long tradition of innovation. Today its autonomous aircraft design and development experience leverages the resources and technologies of Finmeccanica, the world-class Italian technology group, to offer complete solutions and leading-edge proprietary types like the M-346 Lead-In Fighter Trainer.
Alenia Aermacchi is a leader, dynamic and motivated company, with a full design and development capability in its core training aircraft business. The product range covers the entire spectrum from initial screening to lead-in fighter training, and extends into total training systems.

Alenia Aermacchi attends the IDEX 2011 with its holding company Finmeccanica (hall 06 stand B10) exhibiting the model of its range of training aircraft included the new advanced trainer aircraft the M-346.

The M-346 is the most Advanced/Lead-In Fighter Trainer in production today and the only new generation trainer optimised to train pilots to fly new generation combat aircraft. Its excellent performance and flying qualities, close to modern frontline fighters, endow the M-346 with superior levels of training effectiveness. The advanced design solutions also provide high safety standards and reduced acquisition and operating costs. The M-346 is the ideal platform for next generation Integrated Training Systems, ready to meet the demanding requirements of the most sophisticated Air Forces.
The M-346 has the flexibility to fulfil secondary operational roles efficiently and effectively. The development of the light attack version is already under way to meet specific requirements of individual customer Air Forces.
The structural design already includes nine hard-points, and also has provisions to install and integrate special equipment. The speed, ability to climb quickly and extreme manoeuvrability make the M-346 a highly survivable aircraft in comparison to traditional turboprop light attack aircraft.
The low maintenance man-hours per flying hour and the efficiencies offered by a trainer-based design make the M-346 a very cost effective option.

The Italian Air Force signed in November 2009 the contract about the first batch of the M-346 trainers and related flight simulators, to fulfil the advanced/lead-in fighter training requirements for pilots that will fly 4th and 5th generation combat aircraft. At the end of September 2010 Alenia Aermacchi signed the first international contract with the Republic of Singapore within the Fighter Wings Course (FWC) Program, which is aimed to replace the current fleet of advanced trainers. The consortium, comprising ST Aerospace (prime contractor) and Boeing, awarded the supplying of 12 M-346 aircraft and the ground base training system. The delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2012.

In February 2009 the M-346 was also selected by the United Arab Emirates for their new trainer requirement. The M-346 is the type which best answers the Eurotraining requirements.