Lavis await take-o clearance at the end of the Hatzerim runway, which they share with resident T-6 Efroni trainers.

UNTIL A FEW years ago the Israeli Air Force fl ight training fl eet was based around aircraft of primarily 1950s and 1960s vintage: the Piper Super Cub was used

in the screening phase, the Fouga Magister (Tzukit) for basic training, and the A-4 Skyhawk (Ahit) in the advanced phase.

With the arrival of new platforms such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon in the early 1980s, a large gap emerged between the trainers and the front-line fi ghters. Young pilots thus came out of fl ight school with a shortfall in their level of training. This resulted in a heavy burden for the front-line squadrons, which had to perform additional basic training to familiarize new pilots with the advanced fi ghters.

In the light of this, the Israeli Air Force decided to revamp its training fl eet. The fi rst step was the replacement of the veteran Piper with the Grob G120 (Snunit) in 2002, after which the Magister was supplanted by the state-of-the-art Beechcraft T-6 Texan II (Efroni) in 2010.

The third phase was to replace the A-4. At the beginning of 2012, after three years spent evaluating two contenders the Italian M-346 and the Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50 Golden Eagle Israel elected to purchase the Italian trainer. The main parameters of the evaluation were the training and instruction aids on board the aircraft, fl ight safety aids, debriefi ng aids, and the effi cient integration of simulators.

While the T-50 closely resembles the F-16, the M-346 appears to provide a mix of F-16, F-15 and Typhoon qualities, and was judged to better suit Israeli requirements. With two engines, the Master also has an important safety advantage over the T-50. The evaluation concluded that both were capable trainers but that the Italian design was a better fi t to particular Israeli Air Force needs, including preparations for the services future fi ghter, the F-35 Lightning II (Adir).

To date the Israeli Air Force has received eight from a total of 30 M-346s purchased. The Lavi will soon replace the A-4 in the advanced training phase of the fl ying course and will succeed the A-4 and F-16A/B Netz in the subsequent Operational Training Unit (OTU) and Advanced OTU (AOTU) phases.

The Lavi brings many innovations that are set to overhaul the training of fi ghter pilots and navigators in the Israeli Air Force. It includes advanced avionics systems that allow the addition of new subjects to the fl ight course syllabus. These include radar, electronic warfare, and advanced weapons, such as air-to-air missiles combined with the use of the Elbit Systems Display and Sight Helmet (DASH).

Unlike the A-4, the Lavi was designed from the outset for training, and incorporates various measures to improve its effi ciency in the role. The instructor in the back has an excellent fi eld of view over the front seat, while all the front-seat actions appear on the back-seaters instrument panel. Flying the Lavi is much easier than the A-4, thanks to its

With the arrival of the rst pair of Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master jet trainers (named Lavi in Israeli service) on July 9, 2014, the nal phase in the renewal of the Israeli Air Forces training eet began.

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report and photos: Ofer Zidon

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fl y-by-wire system and the carefree handling system that provides the cadets with an in-fl ight safety envelope.

The Lavi has a datalink that allows an online connection between airborne aircraft and ground simulators, to enable advanced training scenarios including formation fl ying or 2-v-2 dogfi ghting. Its avionics also allow for the creation of two additional synthetic entities (aircraft, ground threats or targets and so on) that appear on the aircrafts displays.

An advanced simulator will increase the number of simulator sorties from 60 to 180 for each cadet, allowing for improved preparations and increasing the effi ciency of real aerial sorties. Unlike its predecessor, the A-4, the Lavi will have no combat assignments, so training will continue as planned during alerts and times of tension.

One of the highlights of the new type is the training package acquired together with the airframes. This was designed and manufactured by Israels Elbit Systems and includes a range of simulators that are set to render the training program more effi cient

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and improve the learning curve for new cadets.

The fi rst tier is known as Computer-Based Training (CBT). It includes interactive computer-based lessons to permit self-learning of the aircrafts systems and procedures.

Skill-Based Training (SBT) is the second tier. Involved are fi ve simple simulators based on regular desktop computer screens. These allow students to learn and train basic and emergency procedures in the Lavi, as well as fl ying in low visibility and bad weather.

The third tier is called Operational Flight Simulator (OFS). It takes in two 220-degree screen simulators, meaning students can learn about and then train in tactical subjects including ground attack, simple dogfi ghts and more.

The fi nal tier is the Full-Mission Simulator (FMS). It includes two 330-degree screen simulators that provide a full cockpit view and thus permit the training of advanced

subjects such as formation fl ying, pairs dogfi ghts, advanced weapons, and so forth.

The simulators are connected to allow the synchronized training of four aircraft in a single mission. They are also connected to airborne aircraft via the aforementioned datalink to simulate more complicated scenarios and missions.

The new aircraft and simulators will enhance Israeli Air Force cadet training and improve readiness once students come to join front-line squadrons. The Lavi will mean that new pilots will become operationally qualifi ed after only six months in their front-line squadrons, compared to todays 14-month period.

The fi rst Lavi-based fl ight course to be conducted as part of the advanced training phase started in January 2015. The Israeli Air Force has already begun preparations for establishing the fi rst Lavi unit, 102 Flying Tigers Squadron at Hatzerim air base.

This image: A Lavi is prepared for a training mission. The aircraft are currently operating alongside the aircraft they are succeeding, the A-4 Ahits of 102 Flying Tigers Squadron Israels last Skyhawk operator.

Above left to right: The Skill-Based Training (SBT) simulator looks like a regular home computer simulator.

A Lavi leaves the line on its way to begin another sortie.

Right: Take-o procedure is practiced using the Operational Flight Simulator (OFS).

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