The new choice of the Frecce Tricolori: the T-346 Master
The Aeronautica Militare (ItAF, Italian Air Force) demonstration team Frecce Tricolori, officially known as the 313° Gruppo Addestramento Acrobatico was created on 1 March 1961 as a permanent group for the training of Air Force pilots in air aerobatics. The team replaced unofficial teams that had been sponsored by various commands starting in the early 1930s.
From 1982, the team flies the Aermacchi MB339PAN (Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale), a two-seat fighter-trainer aircraft capable of 898 km/h at sea level. With ten aircraft, nine in close formation and a soloist, they are the world's largest acrobatics team and their flight schedule, comprising about twenty acrobatics and about half an hour, makes them one the most famous demonstration teams in the world
The initial plan was to replace the Aermacchi MB339PAN aircraft with the Alenia Aermacchi M345 HET (High Efficiency Trainer), an aircraft developed from the SIAI Marchetti S211. And as a result, on 3 July 2024, former Frecce Tricolori commander Jan Slangen, made his first flight on the M345 HET from Alenia Aermacchi’s plant in Venegono Superiore (Varese). And in July 2014, prototype CPX619 with code 1 construction number 201 was presented at the Farnborough Air Show in Frecce Tricolori colors.
But things went different and on 12 September 2024, the Aeronautica Militare (ItAF, Italian Air Force) confirmed that the Frecce Tricolori will now transition to the twin-engine Leonardo T-346A Master in 2028. The M345 HET was reportedly not felt well suited to large team formation aerobatics, and that the Frecce Tricolori would benefit from the higher performance of the twin-engined T-346 Master, whose higher thrust and greater manoeuvrability would be useful in maintaining the quality and spectacle of the Frecce’s air displays, better allowing the Frecce Tricolori to “represent Italy in the world.”
The return home ceremony at Istrana Air Base in northern Italy, from the recent North America tour of the Frecce Tricolori to bring after 32 years, the Italian tricolor overseas which lasted approximately 90 days with nine air shows and seventeen flyovers, was the perfect opportunity to present their new aircraft.
The T-346 Master is the aircraft designed and produced in Italy by Leonardo SpA, already in use with the Aeronautica Militare (ItAF, Italian Air Force) for the advanced training of pilots destined for the 4th and 5th generation tactical aircraft lines and will allow the Frecce Tricolori to continue to represent Italy in the world.
The presentation and ceremony comprise Leonardo T-346A Master MM55144 construction number 7021 already in use with the 61° Stormo at Lecce-Galatina air base, Puglia, in southern Italy.
For the occasion, the usually grey T-346A was presented in a new livery, designed by Pininfarina, famous for their spectacular designs. The new livery develops the theme of the "renaissance of the tricolor", enhances the beauty and fluidity of the Frecce Tricolori's flight and celebrates team spirit and commitment, but also ingenuity and national pride.
Photo credit: Aeronautica Militare