2 Local Thursday, January 16, 2020 Leonardo expertise to put Kuwait air force’s Typhoons at frontline of fighter technology Kuwait to receive four Eurofighter Typhoons in 2020; the remaining 24 by 2023 KUWAIT: Participants visit the Kuwait aviation show in Kuwait yesterday. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat A man snaps a photo of a military helicopter displayed at the Kuwait aviation show. KUWAIT: Kuwait Aviation Show 2020 opened craft. Can you give us some information about have taken their wings so far under the leader- yesterday near the Kuwait International Airport, the Kuwaiti program? ship of the Italian air force, which is in charge of featuring a long list of participants including A. Over the past three years, we have worked the training. The operational training for 200 companies and more than 70 commercial both with our Kuwaiti counterparts and with our Typhoon pilots is also underway at the Grosseto and military aircraft from 37 countries. Eurofighter partners, and we are proud of the Air Force Base. Finally, 60 technicians are cur- During the event, Kuwait Times interviewed level of trust and collaboration we have reached. rently training with more courses rolling on into Alessandro Profumo, Leonardo Chief Executive The first Instrumented Series Production 2020, when Leonardo will start its own training Officer: Aircraft (ISPA 6) equipped with the Kuwait air activities for pilots and technicians at Ali Al force configuration successfully completed its Salem Air Force Base right after the delivery of Q. Your company is attending Kuwait Aviation first flight three weeks ago and deliveries will the first aircraft. Show. What do you expect from the event? start later this year. The Captor E-Scan radar A. After attending the Gulf Defense and and several new additions to the weapon system Q. What will your company do here in terms of Aviation exhibition last month, we are glad to will put the Kuwait air force’s Typhoons at the the infrastructure at Ali Al-Salem Air participate in this aviation show, which will give frontline of fighter aircraft technology. It is Base? And what type of support us the opportunity to demonstrate to Kuwait worth remembering that a lot of effort is also services will be available? some of our best in-class technologies, in addi- going into shaping and delivering the best tools A. The Ali Al Salem Air Base will be the main tion to meeting our local customers and part- and solutions for logistics, operational support operating base for Typhoons in the next ners. Many of Leonardo’s technologies in the and the training of flight crews and ground per- decades. Construction work is almost completed aviation sector are successfully operated in the sonnel; all fundamental elements in delivering in order to optimize the base for the Eurofighter country by a wide range of customers. For the best capabilities to Kuwait. requirements. The layout has been designed example, we provide solutions to Kuwait airport, thanks to the customer experience provided by including data management systems, primary Q. How many planes will be delivered in 2020? the Italian air force. The new facilities will be radar and the new baggage handling system for And how many in 2023? handed over to the Kuwait air force later this Terminal 4. Also, our AW169 helicopters guar- A. At present, the final assembly of the first year. Leonardo will also provide service support antee onshore and offshore transport for Kuwait six aircraft is underway at Leonardo’s plant in to the Kuwait air force covering all aspects A visitor looks at aircraft on display during the Kuwait aviation show. Oil Company. Torino-Caselle, and in 2020 four aircraft will be related to Typhoon operations and maintenance, During the airshow, we will have the oppor- ready for acceptance. Then, we are planning to in close partnership with Kuwait air force per- tunity to illustrate Leonardo’s capabilities in the complete the deliveries of the remaining 24 by sonnel, and they will get the chance to enhance training of military pilots, with over 60 years of 2023. The schedule is very tight, but we are their technical knowledge and professional heritage in manufacturing trainer aircraft - working hard and we are ready to meet it. experience. At Leonardo, we are also looking at recently boosted by the latest simulation and involving Kuwaiti personnel in other educational virtual reality technologies. Both our new M- Q. How many planes have paths, in the frame of a partnership which goes 345 basic-advanced jet trainer and the well- been delivered so far? beyond the Typhoon program. known M-346 advanced jet trainer - which is A. Nine customers - including of course also available and contracted in the fighter Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar - have Q. How will this benefit the Kuwaiti air force? Or attack configuration - see interesting opportuni- ordered 623 aircraft, of which more than 550 what capabilities will this provide to the Kuwaiti ties in the region, where a significant fleet of lat- have already been delivered worldwide. air force that it didn’t have before? est generation fighters are taking shape. Eurofighter Typhoon is the most advanced A. I believe that the best testimonials for the The fruitful partnership with the Italian air swing-role combat aircraft currently available capabilities of the aircraft are the air force pilots force is a strategic asset for Leonardo and a on the market. Therefore, it can be deployed in a displaying the Typhoon during this Kuwait matter of pride for us. For this I wish to thank full spectrum of air operations including air Aviation Show. By talking to them, you will get a the Italian air force, which is partnering our policing and peace support. flavor of their operational experience, and presence at the Kuwait Aviation Show with two understand how this aircraft has incredibly of its flagship aircraft - the Eurofighter Q. Can you tell us about the training? enhanced their air operations. What I can say, as Typhoon, which will be engaged in a breathtak- How is it going so far? the CEO of the company in charge of the pro- ing flight display performed by the Reparto A. Training activity is fully rolling for all dif- duction and delivery of this aircraft, is that with Sperimentale Volo (Italian Air Force Flight Test ferent types of roles. The new cadets are train- the Captor-E next generation AESA radar, Wing), and the C-27J, the most advanced multi- ing at the Italian Air Force International Training which enables long-range detection and “first mission airlifter, manufactured by Leonardo. Academy at the Lecce Galatina Air Base, flying look, first shoot” capability, the Kuwait air force on Leonardo’s integrated training system which will be among the most advanced and capable A Saudi falcon Hawk Mk 65 aircraft and Kuwaiti air force F-18 aircraft accompanied by a Q. You mentioned the Eurofighter Typhoon air- is based on the M-346 jet. Twenty-four cadets air force in the world. Kuwait Airways B777 perform during the Kuwait aviation show. A Kuwaiti man watches as Saudi falcon Hawk Mk 65 aircraft perform during the Saudi falcon Hawk Mk 65 aircraft perform during the Kuwait aviation show. Kuwait aviation show. Saudi falcon Hawk Mk 65 aircraft perform during the Kuwait aviation show. People take pictures of Saudi falcon Hawk Mk 65 aircraft performing during the Members of Qatar’s air sport committee perform during the Kuwait aviation show. Kuwait aviation show. Members of Qatar’s air sport committee perform during the Kuwait aviation show..