Indonesia selects Italian M-346 trainer jet

ROME — Indonesia has selected the Italian M-346 jet for pilot training and light combat, the platform’s manufacturer Leonardo announced on Tuesday.

The Asian country is thought to be eyeing an order of 24 M-346 jets to replace aging Hawk aircraft.

The Indonesian Ministry of Defense selected the M-346 F (Fighter) Block 20 light fighter version of the jet, Leonardo said at the Singapore Airshow.

The Italian firm also said it had signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Indonesian firm PT ESystem Solutions Indonesia and the Indonesian Ministry of Defence “aimed at cooperating for the supply and support” of the aircraft “to meet Indonesian Air Force operational requirements.”

That meant supporting maintenance, overhaul and training on the aircraft, the firm said.

Leonardo added, “The parties will now move into the next stage of discussions intended to achieve a procurement contract signing soon.”

In a statement Leonardo said its new M-346 F “Block 20” light fighter configuration came with a Large Area Display (LAD), active electronically scanned radar, a Link 16 data-link, electronic countermeasures, and new weapons systems.

The M-346 originated as a pure trainer jet which has been sold to Italy, the Republic of Singapore, Israel, Poland, Qatar and Greece.

Its more recent trainer-light fighter version has previously been sold to Turkmenistan and Nigeria and, in December, to Austria, which ordered 12 aircraft. The fighter version boasts seven external hard points able to integrate air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions and targeting pods linked to Helmet Mounted Displays.

Tom Kington is the Italy correspondent for Defense News.

罗马——意大利M-346喷气式飞机制造商莱昂纳多公司周二宣布，印度尼西亚已选择该机型用于飞行员训练和轻型战斗。

据信，这个亚洲国家正考虑订购 24 架 M-346 喷气式飞机，以取代老旧的 Hawk 飞机。

莱昂纳多公司在新加坡航展上表示，印尼国防部选择了M-346 F（战斗机）Block 20轻型战斗机版本。

这家意大利公司还表示，它已与印尼公司 PT ESystem Solutions Indonesia 和印尼国防部签署了一份意向书 (LOI)，“旨在合作供应和支持”飞机，“以满足印尼空军的作战需求”。

该公司表示，这意味着要为飞机提供维护、大修和培训支持。

莱昂纳多补充道：“双方现在将进入下一阶段的讨论，旨在尽快签署采购合同。”

莱昂纳多公司在一份声明中表示，其新型 M-346 F“Block 20”轻型战斗机配置包括大面积显示器（LAD）、有源电子扫描雷达、Link 16 数据链、电子对抗措施和新型武器系统。

M-346 最初是一款纯粹的教练机，已售往意大利、新加坡共和国、以色列、波兰、卡塔尔和希腊。

其较新的轻型教练战斗机版本此前已售予土库曼斯坦和尼日利亚，并于去年12月售予奥地利，奥地利订购了12架。战斗机版本拥有7个外挂点，可集成空空弹药、空地弹药以及与头盔显示器相连的瞄准吊舱。

汤姆·金顿是《防务新闻》驻意大利记者。