The return of counterinsurgency...it ain't sexy but it can work

Stephen Trimble's DEW Line posted today that Alenia plans to offer the M-346 (basically a Westernized Yak-130) for the USAF's potential order for 100 light attack fighter trainers. The M-346 would be the first pure jet offering to an RFP the USAF issued last week. Of course, the M-346 would also be a potential candidate for the T-38 Talon replacement contract known as T-X.

It's interesting that one one hand the USAF has been making a full court press on fifth generation projects like the F-35 and F-22, but now we have something that can do many things for less cost (training, light attack....dare I say air sovereignty?) being mooted.

In a competition that so far has been full of turboprop aircraft like the Air Tractor AT-802, Embraer Super Tucano, and an armed version of the Beech/Raytheon AT-6 Texan II, this is an interesting offering that might offer cost-savings for the USAF if it's also chosen for the T-X competition. Larger aircraft order, unit cost goes down and the airplane geek in me would be tickled to see an aircraft designed by Italian and Russian engineers in USAF markings.