08:01 GMT, December 2, 2009 Orlando, Fla. | (NYSE: CGT; TSX: CAE) – CAE recently announced at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) that Alenia Aermacchi (AAEM) has awarded CAE a contract to design and manufacture a M-346 full-mission simulator and a M-346 part-task trainer as part of the M-346 ground-based training system for the Italian Air Force.

The value of this contract was included in the series of military contracts CAE announced on October 22, 2009.

Earlier this month, AAEM and the Italian Defence Ministry signed a contract for AAEM to supply six M-346 Master advanced lead-in fighter trainer aircraft and related flight simulators, which together comprise an Integrated Training System (ITS). This contract forms part of a broader agreement to supply a total of 15 M-346 Masters and related support to the Italian Air Force, the launch customer for the M-346 aircraft. As the preferred full-mission simulator and training device supplier for the M-346, CAE was awarded a contract by prime contractor AAEM for the design and manufacture of the M-346 training devices for the Italian Air Force. Within this contract, CAE has subcontracted the development and supply of simulation and instructor operator station (IOS) subsystems to Selex Galileo in Ronchi dei Legionari, Italy. The M-346 full-mission simulator and part-task trainer will be delivered to Galatina Air Force Base near Lecce, Italy during the second half of 2011.

This week at I/ITSEC, the world’s largest exhibition of modeling, simulation and virtual reality, CAE is showcasing the M-346 ground-based training system demonstrator, which AAEM and CAE jointly developed. CAE is located in Booth #2334 at I/ITSEC.

“We are excited to partner with Alenia Aermacchi on developing the M-346 ground-based training system for the Italian Air Force,” said Martin Gagné, CAE’s Group President, Military Simulation Products, Training and Services. “The simulators are an important piece of the overall training capability for a lead-in fighter trainer aircraft, and our early involvement with AAEM on the M-346 program should position us well for other opportunities related to this impressive aircraft.”


----
Related articles:

SELEX Galileo announces participation in the Italian M-346 Programme
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/11206/

Finmeccanica signs EUR 220 million contract with ARMAEREO for six M-346 Masters for the Italian Air Force
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/11175/

The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master makes its 1,000th flight.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/11077/

----
For more news of the I/ITSEC 2009, please see http://tinyurl.com/yggag89.