This ambitious project, led by ENAER along with its subsidiary DTS, was launched in 2022 after an initial request of 33 units by the Chilean Air Force (FACH)

The PILLAN II, designed to mark a milestone in military aeronautical training, has successfully passed a crucial stage in its development: the preliminary design review. This achievement, backed by a specialized evaluation team of the FACH, has made it possible to establish with precision most of the aircraft’s systems and components, demonstrating ENAER‘s commitment and capacity to comply with standards of excellence.

Currently, the project is in a decisive phase, the critical design review. This is a rigorous process that will define the aircraft’s configuration exhaustively. This is a fundamental step to ensure that PILLAN II meets the most demanding expectations and operational requirements, consolidating its position as a state-of-the-art training system in the international military field.

Since its active promotion starting during FIDAE 2022 and consolidated at the beginning of 2023, PILLAN II, has generated considerable interest not only within Chile, where the Chilean Navy has shown enthusiasm for the project, but also in several Latin American countries. This interest has significantly increased in the last few months, extending nations in the Middle East. Said countries have submitted Requests for Proposals (RFP) to ENAER, highlighting a growing interest in the PILLAN II military pilot training solution, globally.

With a long-term vision, ENAER intends to reach an important milestone in 2024, with the consolidation of the final configuration of the PILLAN II. This has paved the way for starting the production of the 2025-2026 prototype. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to expand the company’s horizons, specifically, into emerging markets in Africa and several regions in Asia. This diversification plan is not only evidence of ENAER’s global ambition, but also reflects Chile’s continuous innovation and growing international recognition in the competitive aerospace and defense sectors.

The PILLAN II, following the lead of the successful T-35 PILLAN, stands as the news flagship of the Chilean aeronautical industry, showing the country’s unwavering commitment to progress in defense technologies, and developing its search as an influential actor in the global scene. This project not only strengthens Chile’s reputation as a leader in aeronautical innovation, but also highlights its capacity to develop state-of-the-art solutions that respond to contemporary security and defense requirements.

Francisco Rojas, FIDAE 2024 Communications and Marketing Management