
The Israeli Defence Ministry is gearing up for the purchase of trainer aircraft for the Israeli Air Force (IAF) to provide advanced cadet training, and will soon issue a request for proposals to the contenders.
The IAF has plans to select either the South Korean T-50 Golden Eagle or the Italian Aermacchi M-346 Master.
According to the proposal, the aircraft will be purchased through a joint venture, Tor, set up by Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), which will lease the aircraft to the IAF.
The new trainers will replace the IAF’s existing fleet of A-4 Skyhawks, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The Skyhawk was used as an advanced trainer for pilot cadets who had completed their primary and basic flight training on the Beechcraft T6 turboprop.