Leonardo M-346N Master Test Demonstrator to the United States
Leonardo (formerly Aermacchi) is collaborating with Textron Aviation Defense to offer the M-346 Master to the US Navy in response to its Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) requirement. This programme, which has generated several requests for information since 2018, aims to replace the Boeing/BAE Systems T-45 Goshawk in the advanced fast-jet training role.
The two companies announced their joint bid in September 2024. By late September 2025, Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo launched a tour across the US to showcase the Leonardo M-346N - branded as the Beechcraft M-346N - as an off-the-shelf, readily available solution for the US Navy’s UJTS programme.
Leonardo is using its M-346, registered CPX625 (c/n 7117/B0035/0085), as the test demonstrator. The aircraft made its first flight in primer livery from Leonardo’s factory airfield in Venegono (VA), northern Italy, on 13 July 2020. Over the years, it has worn various colour schemes and titles. In 2021, still in primer, it carried the marking “Aermacchi M-346LFFA” on the tail, standing for Light Fighter Family of Aircraft.
In its basic A or AJT (Advanced Jet Trainer) version, the M-346 Master is unarmed and designed exclusively for training fighter pilots. During training flights, the aircraft can simulate sensors, electronic countermeasures, and armament, as well as the presence of friendly and enemy forces.
The M-346A’s ability to carry external loads - and thus function as a light combat aircraft - was an intentional design decision. The production aircraft has seven external hardpoints and can carry up to three tons of payload. Leonardo refers to the M-346 series as the LFFA, aimed at combining customer-specific multi-role capabilities on a single platform. The aircraft can be used for both training and military operations in environments without enemy air or ground dominance, in a cost-efficient manner.
In 2022, CPX625 appeared in a new camouflage pattern featuring shades of grey and brown, bearing the title Aermacchi M-346FA Fighter Attack. This “light combat” variant of the M-346 Master offers multi-role capabilities, including close air support—even in urban areas—air interdiction for national defence, and tactical reconnaissance. At the same time, it retains all the features of the M-346A/AJT, including the Embedded Tactical Training Simulation (ETTS) suite. This allows the M-346FA to serve as an Advanced Jet Trainer and Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT), offering a full range of simulated training functions in flight. It is also integrated into the validated M-346 Integrated Training System (ITS) with Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) capabilities.
Between September 2023 and May 2024, the aircraft was seen in various shades of blue without titles, apparently for a new customer. The colour scheme resembled that of aircraft operated by the Turkmenistan and Azerbaijani Air Forces, both of which have been in discussions with Leonardo regarding the jet.
The M-346N Beechcraft test demonstrator was first painted and titled in Italy, then disassembled and shipped to Wichita, where it was reassembled and now flies from Beech Factory Airport—the home of the original Beechcraft delivery centre.
One of the M-346N’s key features is the Pilot Activated Altitude Recovery System (PARS). Activated by a large red button on the cockpit’s center console, PARS automatically returns the aircraft to level flight at a safe altitude. The system can be used in cases of spatial disorientation, which can occur for both new and experienced aviators, particularly when flying with night-vision goggles.
Textron and Leonardo hope the new aircraft will become the US Navy’s next-generation jet trainer as the service prepares to replace its aging Boeing T-45 Goshawk fleet under the UJTS program.
Credit photo: Gautham Kurup (via jetphotos.com)