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Leonardo M-346 Master

Leonardo (formerly Alenia Aermacchi) · Advanced Jet Trainer / Lead-in Fighter Trainer / Advanced Jet Training / Lead-in Fighter Training · Italy · Digital Age (2010–present)

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The Leonardo M-346 Master (originally the Alenia Aermacchi M-346, renamed after the 2017 Leonardo corporate restructure) is an Italian twin-engine, two-seat lead-in fighter trainer and light combat aircraft developed by Alenia Aermacchi (now Leonardo Aircraft) and in production from 2008 to the present. The airframe shares its lineage with the Russian Yakovlev Yak-130 — both descend from the joint Aermacchi-Yakovlev programme of the 1990s — but the two designs diverged sharply after the partnership dissolved. M-346 entry into Italian Air Force service came in 2015. More than 100 have been built, with the type flying in Italy, Israel, Singapore, Greece, Poland, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Nigeria, and other air arms.

The aircraft measures 38 ft (11.5 m) in length with a 32 ft (9.7 m) wingspan, an empty weight near 10,000 lb, and a maximum take-off weight of 21,800 lb. Power comes from two Honeywell ITEC F124-GA-200 turbofans rated at roughly 6,300 lbf each — markedly more thrust than the Yak-130's AI-222-25. Top speed is around Mach 0.85 (~640 mph at altitude), combat radius is about 380 nmi with external fuel, and service ceiling reaches 45,000 ft. Seven hardpoints carry up to 6,600 lb of stores. Design features include a tandem cockpit, a full glass cockpit with the Embedded Training System (ETTS), fly-by-wire controls, ejection seats, and a wide weapons clearance covering Mk-80 series bombs, the AGM-65 Maverick, and the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile.

Lead-in fighter training is the M-346's principal mission. ETTS lets students fly against simulated radar threats, weapons engagements, and electronic-warfare environments without carrying any real equipment, giving operators a realistic fast-jet syllabus at sortie costs well below front-line fighters. Combined with its glass cockpit, twin-engine reliability, and reasonable performance, this makes the type well-matched to current pre-conversion training for fighters such as the F-35 and Eurofighter. Several export users also fly it in light-combat and counter-insurgency roles. The Italian Air Force operates 18 M-346 with the International Flight Training School (IFTS) at Decimomannu Air Base in Sardinia, training Italian and international students. Leonardo continues low-rate production at Venegono.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master is a modern Italian jet trainer. It's the successor to the MB-339, with much better performance — top speed Mach 1.15 (just past the sound barrier). The M-346 was designed in the 1990s in partnership with Russia (a joint Yak-130 project) but the partnership broke up. The M-346 flew in 2004; Yak-130 flew in 2009.

The M-346 is about 38 feet long — about as long as a school bus. Two Honeywell F124 turbofan engines provide more thrust than typical trainer jets. Two seats: student in front, instructor in back. The M-346 prepares student pilots for advanced 4.5-generation fighters like the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35.

About 90 M-346s have been delivered as of 2026. Operators include Italy (biggest), Israel (called the M-346I "Lavi"), Poland, Singapore, Greece, and others. The Italian Air Force uses M-346s to train every Italian fighter pilot — students fly basic jets first, then progress to the M-346 before moving on to operational Tornados or Typhoons.

The M-346 has been a strong export success. Israel bought 30 — it's now the standard Israeli Air Force trainer. Poland operates 16. Singapore uses M-346s for training pilots who later fly F-15SGs and F-16s. The M-346 won the Polish trainer contract beating American T-X (which became the Boeing T-7A) and Korean T-50 — a major export victory for Italian aerospace.

Fun Facts

The M-346 Master can fly Mach 1.15 — just past the sound barrier.
About 90 M-346s have been delivered as of 2026.
The Israeli Air Force calls its M-346s the "Lavi" — same name as the cancelled Israeli fighter from the 1980s.
Operators: Italy, Israel, Poland, Singapore, Greece, and others.
The M-346 was developed in partnership with Russia (Yak-130) — but the partnership broke up in 2000.
Italy uses the M-346 to train every Italian fighter pilot.
The M-346 won the Polish trainer contract, beating the American T-X and Korean T-50.

Kids’ Questions

Why train pilots on cheap trainers first?

Military fighter jets cost $80-150 million each — losing one to a training accident is a disaster. Trainer jets like the M-346 cost only $25-40 million — much less, and easier to lose if something goes wrong. Plus trainer jets are simpler to fly, giving students time to learn the basics without complications. The training pipeline goes: small piston airplane (like the T-6 Texan II) → medium jet trainer (M-346 or T-38) → operational fighter (F-35, Typhoon, etc.). This gradual progression builds skills and confidence step by step.

Why was the M-346 originally a Russian project?

In the late 1990s, Aermacchi (Italy) and Yakovlev (Russia) decided to work together on a new advanced jet trainer. Both countries needed one, and the joint project could share costs. The plane was called the Yak-130. But Russia and Italy disagreed about who would have export rights — both wanted to sell the airplane to other countries. In 2000 the partnership broke up. Russia kept the original Yak-130 design and built it (it flew in 2009). Italy modified the design and built the M-346 (it flew in 2004). Both airplanes look very similar — the same body shape — but use different engines and computers.

Variants

M-346 Master (initial 2008): Original 2008 production variant. Backbone of the M-346 export fleet.
M-346FA (Fighter Attack): Light-combat variant with combat-capable mission systems alongside the trainer role. Flown by several export operators.
M-346FT (Fighter Trainer): Combined fighter and trainer variant. Polish Air Force operator. Used for both training and light-combat missions.
T-100 (proposed U.S. T-X): Proposed M-346 derivative for the U.S. Air Force T-X trainer competition (2017-2018). Lost to the Boeing-Saab T-7 Red Hawk. Listed for context.
Yakovlev Yak-130 (Russian sister): Russian sister platform sharing the same airframe family. Different engines, mission systems, and avionics. See the separate Yak-130 entry.

Notable Operators

Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare): Primary operator with around 18 M-346 in service, flown by the International Flight Training School (IFTS) at Decimomannu Air Base in Sardinia for lead-in fighter training of Italian and international students.
Israeli Air Force: Major operator with around 30 M-346 'Lavi' in service. Used for fast-jet pilot training ahead of F-35I and F-15I conversion.
Other foreign operators: Singapore (~12), Greece (~10), Poland (~16 as M-346 'Bielik'), Azerbaijan (~12), Turkmenistan (~6), Nigeria (~6 ordered), Qatar (~6 ordered), and others.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Embedded Tactical Training Simulation?

ETTS is the M-346's signature feature. It lets a student fly against simulated combat scenarios — radar threats, weapons engagements, and electronic-warfare environments — without any real combat equipment in the aircraft. The cockpit display overlays the synthetic threat picture on actual flight data. Benefits include realistic combat training without the cost of carrying live systems, exposure to radar emissions and missile threats with no real risk, and modular scenarios tailored to each operator's syllabus. ETTS is one of the M-346's principal selling points on the international market.

How does M-346 compare to BAE Hawk?

They sit a generation apart. The BAE Hawk is a 1976 design — single-engine, modest performance, with an established export market. The M-346 is a 2008 design — twin-engine, current-generation systems, ETTS simulation, and a growing user base. The M-346 brings newer mission systems and twin-engine safety; the Hawk has a deep production history and a lower per-airframe price. Both compete head-to-head in export competitions, with the M-346 winning recent contests in Israel, Singapore, Greece and Poland on the strength of its newer feature set.

Why did M-346 lose U.S. T-X?

The Boeing-Saab T-7 Red Hawk won the U.S. T-X competition in September 2018. The T-7 was a clean-sheet design built around U.S. Air Force-specific requirements (single-engine, current-generation glass cockpit); industrial and political pressure favoured U.S. domestic production; and programme cost mattered. The M-346 — offered as the Leonardo T-100 with a U.S. industry partner — lost despite a mature in-service airframe. The T-7 win locked in Boeing-Saab as the future USAF lead-in fighter trainer, while the M-346 continues to win export sales outside the U.S.

How does M-346 compare to Yak-130?

Both trace back to the joint Aermacchi-Yakovlev programme of the 1990s. The M-346 is the Italian production variant, with Honeywell F124 engines (more powerful), Western avionics, and the ETTS training system. The Yak-130 is the Russian production variant, using AI-222-25 engines, Russian avionics, and a wider weapons clearance. The two diverged sharply after the partnership ended, though the basic airframe shape is still recognisable in each. They now compete in the same export segments — the M-346 in NATO and pro-Western markets, the Yak-130 in Russia and pro-Russian markets.

What is M-346FA?

The M-346FA is the light-combat variant. It adds combat-ready mission systems and a wider weapons clearance — Mk-80 series bombs, the AGM-65 Maverick, the AIM-9 Sidewinder, rocket pods and gun pods — along with electronic-warfare protection and expanded sensor options. This gives export operators a combined trainer plus light-combat aircraft as a cost-effective alternative to high-end fighters. National configurations differ between operators.

Sources

Leonardo Aircraft — M-346 Master
Wikipedia — Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master — CC BY-SA.