The MB-339 is an advanced trainer jet and light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by the Italian Company Alenia Aermacchi a Finmeccanica Company. The first flight took place on 12 August 1976 and deliveries to the Italian Air Force commenced in 1979. Still in production in 2004 in an enhanced version with a much-modernised cockpit. Over 200 MB-339s have been built, with roughly half of them going to the Italian Air Force. Immediately associated with the Italian Air Force’s celebrated “Frecce Tricolori” aerobatic team, the elegant Alenia Aermacchi MB-339 is an up to date Advanced/Lead-In Fighter Trainer and Light Attack aircraft. The MB-339 fleet has accumulated over 600,000 flying hours in a wide variety of environments with nine different countries, including several repeat customers. The training capabilities of the aircraft enables the use from the basic up to the advanced syllabus phases. The Alenia Aermacchi training system also includes sophisticated simulators and effective mission planning and debriefing tools. Alenia Aermacchi also offers comprehensive upgrade packages allowing customers to expand existing fleets in a cost-effective way, refurbishing, upgrading or retrofitting them with selected features. The United Arab Emirates recently exploited this capability to create its new Al Fursan aerobatic team, acquiring additional aircraft and bringing its fleet to NAT (National Aerobatic Team) standard, implementing a configuration similar to the Italian “Frecce Tricolori”.