On July 28th, Textron Aviation Defense announced that it’s proposing the Beechcraft M-346N jet trainer as a solution for the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program.
The company has partnered with Leonardo in a teaming agreement to meet the Navy’s requirements for this new aircraft procurement.
The M-346N is based on Leonardo’s proven M-346 design, with over 100 of these aircraft already in service with air forces worldwide for training 4th and 5th generation fighter pilots.
The partnership leverages Leonardo’s aircraft design expertise with Textron’s American manufacturing heritage.
The M-346N is a twin-engine, tandem-seat advanced trainer featuring fully digital flight controls, fly-by-wire systems with quadruple redundancy, and modern avionics including Head-Up Displays and HOTAS controls.
Powered by two Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofan engines, it can reach cruise speeds over 590 knots and operate at altitudes up to 45,000 feet.
Safety features include an Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System.
The aircraft is positioned as bridging the gap between basic flight training and advanced carrier-based fighter operations, with design features that provide excellent instructor visibility and exceptional maneuverability for effective pilot training.
For the press release, go here.
Training on Display at the Paris Air Show 2025: The M-346 and International Flight Training School
