After serving the Israeli Air Force for 45 years, the American Skyhawk military jets are being replaced with Italy's M-346, also known as the "Lavi."
The M-346 is designed for a crew of two pilots (student and instructor) and is about 11.5 meters (37.7 feet) long, with a wingspan of 9.7 meters (31.9 feet). The jet has a maximum loaded weight of 6.7 tons and can fly a distance of 1,890 kilometers (1,174 miles) without refueling. The first M-346 air force training jet was unveiled Thursday at a ceremony at Italian aerospace company Alenia Aermacchi's plant in Italy.
Defense Ministry
The roll-out ceremony -- attended by Brig. Gen. (res.) Shmuel Zucker, who heads the Defense Ministry's Acquisition Administration -- comes after the aircraft completed a successful flight test.
Israel has purchased 30 M-346 military training jets from Italy as part of a billion-dollar deal signed in July 2012. As part of the deal, Italy will buy a billion dollars worth of military equipment from Israel, according to the Defense Ministry.
The M-346s are designed for low-cost flights and a will replace the antiquated jets the IAF has used for training for the past 40 years.
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