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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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