Powered by two 7,0001b thrust Honeywell F124 turbofans, the fly by wire M 346 advanced jet trainer was launched in January 2000 following cessation of the joint Italian/Russian Yak 130 technology development programme which ran from April 1996 to December 1999, accumulating some 300hr flying.
The prototype M-346 first flew in July 2004.
Textron will offer a US-made version of the Italian light jet under the designation Beechcraft M-346N.
In 2025 Textron Aviation Defense started a nationwide demonstration tour to promote its Beechcraft M-346N advanced jet trainer for the U.S. Navy. The M-346N took off from Beech Factory Airport in Wichita, Kansas, where it was assembled. The aircraft is part of a broader integrated training system originally developed by Leonardo and adapted for U.S. Navy needs by Textron under the Beechcraft name.
Assembled in the United States by Beechcraft, the M-346N is a tandem-seat, twin-engine jet equipped with digital flight controls, advanced avionics, and a modern cockpit layout. Features include a quadruple-redundant fly-by-wire system, Head-Up Displays (HUD), Large Area Displays (LAD), and hands-on throttle and stick controls in both cockpits. It also incorporates safety systems such as Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance (Auto-GCAS).
Powered by two Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofan engines, the M-346N has a maximum cruise speed of over 590 knots and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet. Its features an elevated rear cockpit provides instructors with a clear field of view.
Textron says more than 100 M-346 aircraft built by Leonardo are already in service worldwide, logging over 150,000 flight hours by 2025. These numbers reflect a platform that has been tested and adopted by air forces in at least 20 countries.
Engine: 2 x ITEC F124-GA-200, 6250 lb.
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