Canadian fighter pilot school to get M-346 trainer jets from Leonardo

The International Test Pilot School in Ontario, Canada, has signed a deal to buy up to 12 M-346 trainer jets from Leonardo, the Italian firm said. The purchase includes six aircraft with options for six more, with deliveries slated to begin in 2029. The ITPS selected the Block 20 version, which features a Large Area Display cockpit designed to train pilots for fifth-generation platforms like the F-35. Executive Chairman Giorgio Clementi said the school currently trains pilots on the L-39 and collaborates with more than ten air forces. Leonardo notes the M-346 has flown more than 160,000 hours across over 160 aircraft delivered. The jet has been adopted by Italy, Singapore, Israel, Poland, Qatar, and Greece, with a trainer-light fighter variant sold to Indonesia, Turkmenistan, Austria, and Nigeria. Leonardo is pursuing U.S. Navy sales and has teamed with Textron to offer an American-built version, as the Navy seeks to replace the T-45 Goshawk.