An Italian Air Force M-346 trainer aircraft in flight in August 2009. Canada has expressed interest in buying the M-346, replacing its defunct CT-155 Hawk trainer jets. (Wikimedia Commons/mashleymorgan)
Why Is Canada Trying to Buy an Italian Trainer Jet?
The M-346 trainer, built by Italian aerospace giant Leonardo, is an ideal choice to prepare pilots for complicated aircraft such as the F-35 Lightning II.
Canada has launched negotiations to acquire Leonardo’s M-346 trainer jet, potentially marking a major step in modernizing the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fighter pilot training pipeline. The announcement came during a meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the G7 Summit in France.
The negotiations are closely tied to Canada’s purchase of the F-35A, as the RCAF now needs a training platform capable of preparing student pilots for fifth-generation frontline fighters. Said another way, Canada is buying fifth-generation fighters—so now it needs a fifth-generation trainer, a role the M-346 is equipped to meet.
Canada Hasn’t Had a Domestic Trainer Jet Program for Two Years
Canada’s existing CT-155 Hawk trainers were retired in March 2024 after roughly 24 years of service. The RCAF concluded the Hawk could no longer adequately prepare pilots for advanced frontline fighters like the F-35A, which inundate the pilot with torrents of information.
Since the Hawk’s retirement, Canadian pilots have lacked a domestic training program, relying instead on NATO’s Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program at Sheppard AFB in Texas and Italy’s International Flight Training School (IFTS). The downside of this is reliance on foreign training infrastructure; naturally, Ottawa would prefer to have a domestic training capacity.
Courting the M-346 acknowledges the extent to which training has changed. Modern fighters are no longer simply aircraft—they are flying sensor networks. F-35 pilots must learn sensor fusion, networked warfare, electronic warfare, data management, and beyond-visual-range tactics. Legacy training on older aircraft cannot replicate this new cockpit environment.
About Leonardo’s M-346 Trainer Jet
- Year Introduced: 2015
- Number Built: 100+ (165 ordered)
- Length: 11.49 m (37 ft 8 in)
- Wingspan: 9.72 m (31 ft 11 in)
- Weight: 9,600 kg (21,164 lb)
- Engines: Two F124 turbofan engines
- Top Speed: 1,090 km/h (680 mph) / Mach 0.95
- Range: ~2,000 km (1,240 mi)
- Service Ceiling: ~13,700 m (45,000 ft)
- Loadout: 9 hardpoints; 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) payload capacity
- Aircrew: 2
The M-346 was specifically designed to bridge the gap between basic flight training and advanced fighters like the F-35, Eurofighter, and F-22.
The M-346 is one of the world’s most advanced trainers. Operators like the jet because it offers high performance, lower operating costs than frontline fighters, advanced simulation capabilities, and the ability to emulate modern combat environments. Accordingly, several NATO air forces already use it as a stepping stone to fifth-generation aircraft. And the newest variant, the Block 20, is significantly upgraded over earlier variants, with a new cockpit, large area displays, and an augmented reality helmet that better prepares pilots for F-35-style operations. The Block 20 also features digital architecture upgrades, like new flight management systems, new navigation systems, and improved data recording and mission replay capabilities. This is the variant that Canada is most likely to buy.
Strategically, the acquisition suggests that Canada is aligning itself with NATO’s future. The M-346 is already deeply embedded within NATO training networks. Canada already sends pilots to Italy’s IFTS, which uses the same aircraft. Standardizing around the M-346 creates immediate interoperability benefits. Canada is also taking note of recent global tensions, which have highlighted the risks of depending entirely on foreign training pipelines; building training capacity at home provides greater flexibility and resilience.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a writer and attorney focused on national security, technology, and political culture. His work has appeared in Tablet, City Journal, The Hill, The Spectator, and The Cipher Brief. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global & Joint Program Studies from NYU. More at harrisonkass.com.
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