JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa's Paramount Group is working with Italian defense conglomerate Leonardo on the M-345 jet trainer aircraft.

At the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in South Africa, Paramount Group inked a deal with Leonardo for the development of a mission system for the latter's M-345, a jet trainer. Paramount Group is integrating its 'Smart Weapons Integration on Fast-Jet Trainers (SWIFT) package'. SWIFT is related to a mission system Paramount Group developed for helicopters, called Flexible Light Armaments System for Helicopters (FLASH), according to defenceWeb, which noted in a report that almost 40 countries operate FLASH.

In a statement, Paramount Group CEO Ralph Mills said, "FLASH and SWIFT are focused on current threats and current customer requirements. Both products have low acquisition and operation costs. They are both suitable for non-conventional or asymmetric warfare. They address the customers growing need for multi-role configuration to adapt to different mission roles without major re-configuration and extended time delay. The platforms can be described as short timeframe, light combat and surveillance solution utilising the best of the best in the defence industry."

According to Mills, the SWIFT mission system could support South African-designed weapons, like Al Tariq guided bombs and Mokopa air-to-surface missiles.

The two defense firms are hoping to market the aircraft to customers in Africa who may be interested in procuring trainer aircraft that can also be used in counterinsurgency missions, rather than purchasing costly fighter jet platforms. Many Air Forces in Africa have begun procuring turboprop aircraft armed with guided bombs as a low-cost means to fight against military groups and patrol borders.

The managing director of Leonardo's Aircraft Division, Lucio Valerio Cioffi, said, "We think that the collaboration with a high-level partner such as Paramount is strategic to develop a new M-345 trainer operational configuration for the African market. The M-345 is a basic/advanced trainer with multirole capabilities and costs comparable to a turboprop aircraft. These characteristics and more make the M-345 perfectly suited for the African market."

Besides partnership on the M-345, the two are also considering joint work on the SF-260.

Source: defenceWeb
Associated URL: http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53202:paramount-unveils-swift-weapons-and-sensor-suite-for-jets&catid=35:Aerospace&Itemid=107