Deep Dive Into The International Flight Training School, ‘World’s Leading 5th Gen. Training System’

We have now just lately talked to the Chiefs of Workers of the ITAF, RAF, JASDF and RCAF and right here’s why the Italian coaching system, based mostly on the M-346 and already chosen by 9 air forces for the coaching of their future fight pilots, is the world’s most superior.

As we talked about within the first part of our report from Lecce-Galatina Air Base, the 61° Stormo (Wing) of the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Pressure, ITAF), is specialized in the training of fighter pilots. In actual fact, the unit shouldn’t be solely accountable for the widespread Major Pilot Coaching, but in addition of the Specialised Pilot Coaching of pilots which can be assigned to fighter plane or Remotely Piloted Plane, in addition to the Lead In to Fighter Coaching (LIFT) for pilots that can be assigned to 4th and fifth era fighter plane.

Because the introduction into service of the M-346 (T-346A within the official designation of the Italian MOD), the LIFT coaching provided by the 61° Stormo has been within the worldwide highlight, with 9 international locations sending their pilots to coach there and plenty of extra visiting the airbase to get to know the actions carried out there. Throughout our current go to, we had an opportunity to see up shut the actions of the Section IV coaching throughout their final days at Lecce-Galatina Air Base.

In actual fact, the T-346 and the LIFT coaching has simply formally relocated to Decimomannu Air Base in Sardinia, the place on Might 11 the brand new Italian Air Pressure/Leonardo International Flight Training School Campus was formally offered. For some months now, the T-346 fleet was divided between the 2 places however, now that the works on the brand new infrastructures are full, the fleet’s transfer can be accomplished.

Throughout the presentation of the brand new campus, we had an opportunity to speak with among the prime generals of the air forces which have already chosen the IFTS for the coaching of their future fight pilots.

“The RCAF is happy to be right here, now we have been planning to affix this system for some years”, advised us Brig. Gen. Todd N. Balfe, Royal Canadian Air Pressure (RCAF) Fighter Functionality Particular Advisor. “We now have an Teacher Pilot who’s been assigned to the IFTS, he’s already begun flying and he’s the primary of many Canadians who can be skilled right here over many, a few years. A part of the explanations is necessity, as we’re transitioning out of our outdated coaching system, we’re going to be construct a brand new coaching system, however now we have a spot of 8 to 10 years, the place we don’t have our system again in Canada. As we seemed around the globe, it was rapidly obvious to us that IFTS is a world main coaching system so we wished to be right here to provide among the greatest fighter pilots we may, but in addition to be taught from the system. In order we spend time right here with our IPs and pupil pilots, we are going to take all the teachings again to Canada the place we’ll construct our personal system. And I’ll conclude by saying that Gen. Luca Goretti, the Commander of the Italian Air Pressure, is true: IFTS is the one fifth era coaching system on the earth.”

“I received an opportunity to fly within the M-346 and now that I’ve flown within the plane with the Squadron Commander I need to say that I used to be actually impressed. Identical for our IP, who’s a former F-18 pilot (as I was an F-18 pilot): he’s flown the plane and carried out numerous missions within the simulator and he additionally remarked how related the M-346 is to the F-18 by way of flying traits: it’s not as quick as a result of it doesn’t have the afterburner, however the remainder of the airplane traits are remarkably related as are data shows. He’s impressed with the plane, he’s very impressed with the system and coaching, the simulator and the entire LVC capabilities are really spectacular, in my travels I’ve not seen a system like this on the earth, and I believe the world is gonna construct extra methods like this one, as a result of it permits us to coach our pilots sooner, higher and in the end cheaper.”

“We’re too transitioning to the 5th generation and this is likely one of the causes we wished to be right here: I used to be fortunate to be in Amendola in November, when Gen. Goretti hosted the F-35 Air Chiefs Assembly so I received an opportunity to see the Italian F-35 operations and start to be taught classes discovered and we expect that having a coaching system that builds pilots for the F-35 is extremely sensible. Therefore I believe with the partnership with Leonardo and CAE, the Italian Air Pressure is breaking new floor, so we’re excited to be right here.”

“I’m very a lot honored and happy to be invited to this opening ceremony of the IFTS” Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, Japan Air Self-Protection Pressure Chief of Workers advised us. The CinC of the JASDF expects the varsity to play an essential function breeding new generations of pilots from Japan, Italy and all different participant international locations, getting ready them for the following era fighters. Together with, GCAP, that Japan collectively develops with Italy and the UK. “By way of GCAP, our purpose is to provide you with the most effective resolution by 2035, a platform that meets the necessities coming from the three nations. We are attempting to hunt a commonality as a lot as attainable.”

In the meantime, the JASDF, that already operates the F-35, is buying probably the most F-35s of any worldwide buyer with a complete of 105 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs: “We’re going to introduce F-35A and B variants, round 150 plane. My intestine feeling is that the F-35 is an actual recreation changer. It’s so succesful that we have to fill the hole between the platform and the pilot step by step.”

On Might 13, the Royal Air Pressure has additionally joined IFTS: the Italian Air Pressure and the Royal Air Pressure Chiefs of Workers signed an settlement for the coaching (Section IV) of Scholar Pilots ) and Teacher Pilots through the AeroSpace Energy Convention held in Rome. The arrival of the primary two British Scholar Pilots on the IFTS is scheduled for July and by 2023 there can be 4 RAF pilots in Sardinia.

In the present day, through the #AeroSpacePowerConference, signed the
Technical Association between #ItalianAirForce and #Raf for the coaching of British pilots on the Worldwide Flight Coaching Faculty #IFTS, coaching actuality born with the collaboration of @Leonardo_live pic.twitter.com/hii5RSo3AT

— Aeronautica Militare (@ItalianAirForce) May 13, 2023

In keeping with the ItAF and RAF Chiefs, coaching can be essential additionally in mild of the preparation of the 2 air forces to the sixth era plane. “We have to speak now and look forward at how we are able to construct our widespread coaching to be prepared when the brand new era plane is delivered in 2035. In any other case, we can have the plane however we is not going to be able to be operational with the coaching”, advised Gen. Luca Goretti, Commander of the Italian Air Pressure.

“We’ve finished it up to now,” echoes Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston who was skilled by an Italian IP on the Tri-national Twister Coaching Institution (TTTE) at RAF Cottesmore up to now. “This doesn’t imply we are going to construct an actual mannequin just like the TTTE up to now however that has proven what we are able to do if the intent and the willingness is there. These are the kind of issues we need to speak about and plan for now in order that we’re prepared within the late 2030s. The Italian Air Pressure is main the best way while you take a look at new coaching institution at Decimomannnu.”

“In actual fact, in Deci you will see Japanese, British and Italian future pilots and that is the small monitor that may deliver us to have a typical coaching program put in place for future era plane and aircrews. We must be ready, we must be prepared,” says Goretti.

“Deci for the time being is getting the pilots prepared for the GCAP or Eurofighter”, says Wigston, “however what’s exiting to me about Deci is the ideas which have been utilized, and it’s a glimpse of the longer term, by way of AR (Augmented Actuality), Artificial Coaching, platforms getting used. And it won’t be Deci, won’t be the methods and plane there, however the ideas that the Italian Air Pressure, Leonardo and CAE: that factors to how we are going to internationally pilot coaching sooner or later.”

For the time being, Canada, UK, Germany, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore and Japan are the nations which have already elected IFTS for his or her Section IV/LIFT coaching, whereas many extra are about to affix this system.

The Section IV Lead In to Fighter Coaching

The Section IV coaching of the Italian Air Pressure pilots is predicated on two pillars: the T-346A advanced training aircraft and its built-in coaching system, which permit college students to conduct actual and artificial coaching missions in a joint method, rising the coaching worth. In actual fact, trendy flight coaching not solely requires superior plane, but in addition technologically superior floor coaching aids, designed in parallel with the flying counterparts for a seamless transition between the 2 and in addition in a position to combine with one another for the utmost coaching effectivity.

The introduction into service of the T-346 has been outlined as an actual “recreation changer” for the coaching. Because of its options, it’s the best system to coach future fighter pilots which aren’t solely required to be good proficient pilots, however in addition they must handle the whole weapon system, with all its sensors and weapons, in situations which have gotten more and more extra advanced, much less permissive and with loads of threats.

The pilots are skilled underneath the extensively adopted “practice as you combat” idea, to better prepare them for operational units. In the present day’s fighter pilots must have first order administration expertise as proper now the prevalence towards adversaries is obtained within the data area, the fusion of the data from a number of domains and the response time. The fashionable LIFT coaching extremely displays these wants.

The syllabus developed for the Section 4 closely exploits the bottom coaching section of the M-346 to construct these capabilities, with the stay flights being the final step of the coaching and amounting to roughly 50% of the coaching occasions. The simulator coaching is so lifelike that may be counted as actual flight hours, with out dropping coaching effectiveness.

Throughout these 9 months of coaching, the pilots proceed to broaden the coaching blocks of the Specialised Pilot Coaching. In actual fact, through the Section III, college students are already exposed to Basic Fighter Maneuvers, Primary Air to Floor employment, Defensive Counter Air missions, Air-to-Air Refueling, in addition to stay fireplace vary missions, as well as the usual contact, instrument, tactical formation coaching blocks.

The LIFT coaching administered by the 212° Gruppo (Squadron) is extremely modular, to higher adapt to the wants of the air forces who practice there. In actual fact, some international locations don’t require all modules for the coaching of their pilots, whereas Italian pilots are skilled on the whole syllabus. Among the many modules we discover Superior Air to Air, Superior Air to Floor, Offensive Counter Air, Defensive Counter Air, Superior Fight Maneuvers, Fast Response Alert, Air to Air Refueling and in addition an introduction to COMposite Air Operations.

The vast majority of the coaching modules is structured as a succession of classes ranging from tutorials on the fundamental simulators after which transferring to extra superior duties on the opposite simulators and stay flight missions. This sort of strategy permits a gradual increment of the coed ‘s capabilities, sensibly lowering the live flight hours and thus the coaching prices, however exposing the pilots to extra missions units in the identical time, rising the extent of the coaching and permitting the coed be higher ready for multirole fighter jets.

An essential ingredient of the LIFT coaching is represented by the efficiency of the plane, that are similar to those of 4th and fifth gen plane, making nearly negligible the transition from the coach to the ultimate assigned plane. This additionally allowed to lower the variety of flight hours wanted by the Operational Conversion Models to coach their pilots after LIFT, as many actions will be offloaded from the OCU’s syllabus to the LIFT’s syllabus.

The whole Section IV course features a complete of roughly 150 simulator and actual flight coaching periods, flown in all climate situations, throughout day and night time, with the aid of Helmet Mounted Displays and Night Vision Systems. Throughout this section, college students even have the chance to coach in real-life taking pictures situations in devoted coaching areas in Sardinia, giving them the flexibility to right away check within the area the talents acquired.

Decimomannu is, the truth is, house to the AWTI (Air Weapons Coaching Set up), a totally built-in coaching set up with air-to-air and air-to-ground ranges in addition to an EW (Digital Warfare) vary. The varsity’s transfer there’ll give extra ease of entry to the ranges and coaching areas at any time, with out the need for periodic deployments from Galatina and the next planning and logistic burden.

The M-346 Built-in Coaching System

As we already talked about, the M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer revolutionized the coaching world. In actual fact, we aren’t simply speaking about an plane like up to now, however a couple of absolutely Built-in Coaching System which incorporates each the plane and a complicated Floor Primarily based Coaching System that enhances the capabilities of the plane and makes the coaching extra environment friendly.

The GBTS, a basic a part of the coaching system, is likely one of the most full ever produced, and consists by the Pc Primarily based Coaching and a community of simulators which includes Simulation Primarily based Coaching,  Partial Process Coach, Full Mission Simulator. The opposite floor units are the Actual Time Monitoring Station  and the Mission Planning and Debriefing Station.

The primary degree of the simulators is the SBT: 9 interconnected stations, every with touchscreen shows and an ideal duplicate of the HOTAS, which permits the coed to coach on all basic capabilities of the plane. The following step is the PTT, with a compete cockpit and a 180° display screen, the place the scholars apply every thing they discovered to this point, together with emergencies’ coaching and superior coaching missions. The top level of the simulators is the FMS, made by an ideal duplicate of the cockpit and an nearly 360° display screen.

The GBTS permits pilots to be taught formation flight, fundamental maneuvers, superior fight techniques, each day and night time, with out the necessity to get wheels off the bottom. This enables a discount of the flight hours required to compete the coaching of future fighter pilots of the newest era plane, reducing the prices and enhancing the effectivity and availability of the fleet for operational duties.

Whereas the fee discount is essential, the M-346 ITS is exclusive as a result of it permits the creation of the Stay Digital Constructive setting, an built-in coaching setting the place the actual and digital worlds merge right into a single operational situation during which pilots within the simulators can work together with pilots flying on the actual plane. This fashion, future Eurofighter and F-35 pilots can function concurrently actual flights (stay), simulators (digital), and add on the similar time various kinds of computer-generated threats (Constructive).

LVC permits as much as 10 pleasant and enemy plane to work together as in the event that they have been all flying in the identical patch of sky, with pilots within the plane seeing on their sensors and devices what pilots within the simulators see on their shows and projector screens. The LVC system is used because the first missions to create difficult coaching environments, because it permits infinite combos dictated by the truth of immediately’s advanced operational situations.

The T-346s even have an built-in onboard Embedded Tactical Coaching System (ETTS), which permits the simulation of sensors, weapons, simulated forces in order that pilots can work together in actual time with a tactical digital surroundings. Amongst these, we discover superior simulations of radar, datalinks, focusing on pods and all sort of sensors used on trendy fighters.

Whereas somebody nonetheless take into account the M-346 a derivative of the Joint Italian-Russian Yak/AEM-130, so many issues modified and it’s now a totally completely different plane. The M-346 has a complicated aerodynamics with excessive thrust-to-weight ratio and supersonic velocity which, coupled with fly-by-wire controls and trendy and environment friendly turbofan engines, makes it a coach with excessive performances and excessive maneuver power, that put the plane on a totally completely different degree in comparison with different trainers.

Because of its efficiency and capabilities, the T-346 is taken into account on the identical degree of the F-16 Preventing Falcon. Due to this, the M-346 has additionally been used as Aggressor plane throughout air fight coaching missions with nice outcomes since 2015. For an occasion, during the Tactical Leadership Programme at Amendola Air Base in 2018, a T-346 was in a position to outmaneuver and “shoot down” with ease an F-15C throughout BFMs.

All these capabilities permit the pilots to develop all the talents they want earlier than transferring to the Operational Conversion Models. The plane’s efficiency have been additional expanded just lately, with the rise of the utmost allowed angle of assault from 25° to 30° and the rise of the G restrict when the plane is supplied with a centerline exterior gas tank from 5 G to six G.

Let’s not neglect that the M-346 is properly appreciated additionally by the U.S. Air Pressure, which was considering it as replacement for the aging T-38C after a number of visits to Lecce-Galatina Air Base, the place officers have been impressed after being proven the traits of this superior coach. The Air Pressure additionally certified the training process of the Polish Air Pressure’s future F-16 and F-35 pilots with the M-346 as analogous to the coaching on the T-38 as much as the IFF (Introduction for Fighter Fundamentals) degree.

The Worldwide Flight Coaching Faculty

The International Flight Training School project was introduced in 2018 on the Farnborough Airshow, when the letter of intent was signed by the ItAF chief of workers and the CEO of Leonardo. The challenge is articulated in two steps: the primary one noticed an preliminary increment of the Section IV coaching supply at Galatina AB whereas works have been accomplished at Decimomannu AB. With the T-346 transferring to the brand new base, the varsity will have the ability to practice as much as 80 new pilots per 12 months, doubling the present supply.

As a part of the IFTS, the ItAF has the lead for the administration of the operational necessities and of the operations, in addition to the maintenance of the standard requirements of the flight faculty. The ItAF can be accountable for the administration of the coaching syllabus, the coaching of the instructors and the standard management of the exit degree of the scholars.

Leonardo is accountable for the investments for the creation of the varsity with plane and simulators of the newest era and new floor infrastructures, in addition to the operations’ assist with technicians that may aspect with the navy personnel. The brand new campus in Decimomannu takes full benefit of the Sardinian coaching infrastructures already used for years by the Italian navy. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in December 2020 to formally start building of the brand new faculty, which covers a complete space of 130,000 sqm, 35,000 sqm of these are devoted to buildings.

This really distinctive infrastructure, designed across the coaching wants of future pupil pilots, boasts a really excessive diploma of technological innovation. A complete newly constructed constructing can be devoted to the Floor Primarily based Coaching System (GBTS) services, with latest-generation simulation methods, inclusive of two Full Mission Simulators and three Half Process Coach artificial simulators for emergency administration coaching modules and extra superior coaching missions, in addition to lecture rooms and places of work.

A primary coaching course already began there in July 2022, forward of the ultimate transfer of the varsity from Galatina to Decimomannu this month. The 61° Stormo and IFTS share a fleet of 22 M-346s, 4 of these are Leonardo owned T-346B plane and 18 are Italian Air Pressure T-346As (because the M-346 is designated by the Italian MOD Mission Design Collection).

The T-346B is externally equivalent to the T-346A, however presents a unique avionics configuration. Among the many variations there are, for an occasion, the removing of voice instructions and the encrypted NATO-standard Mode 4 Identification Buddy of Foe, in addition to different adjustments. 4 different T-346Bs joined the IFTS fleet just lately, belonging to the Qatar Emiri Air Pressure, as proven by the Qatar flag which encircles the IFTS emblem on the tail.

Leonardo and CAE, via the three way partnership “Leonardo CAE Superior Jet Coaching”, present technical-logistic assist to the Worldwide Flight Coaching Faculty, together with full upkeep and operation of the M-346 plane and its Floor-Primarily based Coaching System, in addition to operation of IFTS base services. The built-in assist optimises the administration of fleets and simulators for max operability, together with the superior full-mission simulator collectively developed by Leonardo and CAE.

The IFTS has already become internationally renowned, all through its first years of operations, as one of the crucial superior and state-of-the-art flight faculties for the coaching of future fighter jet pilots. The varsity is now a world reference for Superior LIFT to higher put together pilots that may fly on front-line fighters of 4+ and fifth gen, just like the Eurofighter Hurricane and the F-35.

The IFTS college students can be adopted all through their coaching by a group of 40 instructors, each navy and civilian, whereas flying greater than 8,000 flight hours per 12 months on the M-346 Grasp and as many within the superior flight simulators, for a couple of 1:1 ratio between actual and simulated flight hours. The varsity exploits the ItAF’s in depth know-how within the coaching sector and the nationwide business’s excellence within the built-in coaching methods.

As we reported in 2021, Greece can be making a joint international school with Israel at Kalamata Air Base, house of the a hundred and twentieth Air Coaching Wing. Elbit Programs has been chosen for the creation of the varsity and can be accountable for the provision and operation of ten M-346 trainers, in addition to the upkeep of the HAF T-6 Texan II fleet. Gen. Goretti says the 2 faculties is not going to compete with one another: there’s a large demand for superior coaching that’s unimaginable to fulfill by one faculty solely. Quite the opposite, contemplating that each will use the identical service, there could possibly be an alternate of knowledge from which each will have the ability to profit.

David Cenciotti is a journalist based mostly in Rome, Italy. He’s the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of many world’s most well-known and browse navy aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for main worldwide magazines, together with Air Forces Month-to-month, Fight Plane, and plenty of others, overlaying aviation, protection, warfare, business, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown a number of fight planes with completely different air forces. He’s a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Pressure, a non-public pilot and a graduate in Pc Engineering. He has written 5 books and contributed to many extra ones.

Stefano D’Urso is a contract journalist and contributor to TheAviationist based mostly in Lecce, Italy. A graduate in Industral Engineering he is additionally finding out to attain a Grasp Diploma in Aerospace Engineering. Digital Warfare, Loitering Munitions and OSINT strategies utilized to the world of navy operations and present conflicts are amongst his areas of experience.