Chris Pocock has been covering the defense beat for AIN for over 30&nbsp;years. He is a British citizen and a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Chris worked in the air cargo business for ten years before becoming a full-time writer in 1983. He subsequently edited two air cargo journals before becoming AIN’s Defense Editor. He retired from that position in 2018, but still contributes to the publication. Chris has written extensively on aerial reconnaissance, including four books on the history of the U-2 spyplane. He also lectures on this and other topics related to intelligence-gathering in the Cold War.

Defense Correspondent

Chris Pocock

Alenia Aermacchi is making a second attempt to sell jet trainers to Chile, as well as airlifters. The Italian company signed a&nbsp;memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the national aerospace company ENAER to “collaborate” on the M-345 HET (High Efficiency Trainer) and the C-27J. The two companies signed an MoU in 2008 concerning the M-311 (the predecessor of the M-345), as well as the M-346 advanced jet trainer, but no firm contracts resulted.

 


The new MoU was signed during a visit to Chile this week by Italy’s defense minister Roberta Pinotti. “We look forward to growing with our partners in this industrial cooperation agreement,” said Alenia Aermacchi. “This relationship of cooperation, technology transfer, production and marketing of aeronautical products and services with Italy begins,” said the director ENAER, Bg. Gen. Henry Cleveland. &nbsp;

 


Alenia Aermacchi launched the <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2013-06-21/alenia-aermacchi-develops-m-345-basic-advanced-trainer">re-engined M-345 HET</a> in 2013 as a basic-to-advanced jet trainer. The Chilean air force currently uses the ENAER T-35 Pillan for basic training. The C-130 is the mainstay of the service’s airlift fleet. Chile’s naval air arm uses Pilatus PC-7s for basic training.

 


Last month, Minister Pinotti was supporting Alenia Aermacchi in another Latin American country. She took part in the official handover of the first C-27J for the Peruvian air force in Lima. Peru doubled its order for C-27Js from two to four last December. Alenia Aermacchi said that Peru selected the C-27J because of its “competitive cost in all scenarios”, including hot-and-high operations from semi-prepared airstrips in the Andes. &nbsp;

Alenia Aermacchi Eyes Sales Prospects in Chile 

An MoU is signed for “collaboration” on the M-345 basic jet trainer and C-27J airlifter  

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