ST Aerospace to procure RSAF's 12 jet trainers

Company to undertake programme's overall management as Alenia Aermacchi provides aircrafts while Boeing supplies training system.

ST Engineering on Tuesday announced that its aerospace arm, ST Aerospace, has been awarded a contract to procure 12 M346 aircraft and ground based training system for the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) fighter pilot training in Cazaux, France. The acquisition cost of the aircraft, ground based training system and associated spares are worth S$543m, and delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2012, according to an ST Aerospace report.

This contract is primed by ST Aerospace, which will undertake the overall management of the programme. The M346 aircraft will be provided by Alenia Aermacchi while Boeing will supply the ground based training system.

"We are pleased to work with our partners to support RSAF's next generation training needs. Over the years, we have been supporting the RSAF in many technical and operational areas. We intend to work closely with our partners to ensure that the aircraft and systems to be delivered meet the exacting requirements of the RSAF," Chang Cheow Teck, President, ST Aerospace said.

"The signing of the contract with Singapore is a source of great pride for us and an important sign of appreciation of the qualities of our aircraft from one of the world's most sophisticated air forces. It affirms the Alenia Aermacchi M346 as the leading training aircraft available today on the global market and the ideal platform for a state-of-the-art, integrated training system." ~ Carmelo Cosentino, CEO, Alenia Aermacchi said.

"Boeing is pleased to support the Republic of Singapore Air Force on the Advanced Jet Training programme. We look forward to providing the RSAF with state-of-the-art ground based training system incorporating the first application of our revolutionary Constant Resolution Visual Syste m in the full mission simulators," Mark McGraw, Vice President, Boeing Training Systems and Services said.

In 2008, ST Aerospace teamed with Alenia Aermacchi and The Boeing Company to form a consortium to jointly bid the M346 aircraft for the RSAF Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) replacement programme.

ST Aerospace currently provides a full spectrum of maintenance, engineering and logistics support - covering flight line operations, aircraft, engines and component maintenance, engineering services, inventory and warehouse management - on the current fleet of advanced jet trainers. ST Aerospace has been providing depot maintenance for RSAF's A-4SU / TA-4SU fleet in Cazaux since 1999 and was contracted in 2007 to widen the scope of its maintenance programme to Total Aviation Support.