Canadian fighter pilot school to get M-346 trainer jets from Leonardo

ROME — The International Test Pilot School (ITPS) in Canada has signed to buy up to 12 M-346 trainer jets from Leonardo, the Italian firm said on Tuesday.

The privately run school for fighter pilots in Ontario will acquire six jets with options for another six, with deliveries due to start in 2029, Leonardo said.

The school has chosen the Block 20 version of the platform, which features a new cockpit with a Large Area Display designed to train pilots to fly 5th-generation aircraft like the F-35.

The ITPS currently trains pilots on the Aero Vodochody L-39 and is working with over ten air forces to provide advanced jet training, ITPS Executive Chairman Giorgio Clementi said.

The M-346 has now flown over 160,000 hours with over 160 aircraft sold to date.

The aircraft originated as a pure trainer jet which has been sold to Italy, the Republic of Singapore, Israel, Poland, Qatar and Greece.

Its more recent trainer-light fighter version has been sold to Indonesia, Turkmenistan, Austria and Nigeria.

The fighter version boasts seven external hard points able to integrate air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions and targeting pods linked to Helmet Mounted Displays.

Leonardo is also seeking to sell the trainer to the U.S. Navy and has teamed with Textron to offer an American-built version.

The Navy is seeking to replace its fleet of Boeing T-45 Goshawks.

Tom Kington is the Italy correspondent for Defense News.

罗马——意大利莱昂纳多公司周二表示，加拿大国际试飞员学校（ITPS）已签署协议，将从该公司购买至多 12 架 M-346 教练机。

莱昂纳多公司表示，安大略省这所私立战斗机飞行员学校将购置六架喷气式飞机，并可选择再购置六架，预计将于 2029 年开始交付。

学校选择了 Block 20 版本的平台，该平台配备了带有大面积显示器的新型驾驶舱，旨在训练飞行员驾驶 F-35 等第五代飞机。

ITPS执行主席乔治·克莱门蒂表示，ITPS目前使用Aero Vodochody L-39训练飞行员，并与十多个空军合作提供先进的喷气式飞机训练。

M-346 飞机至今已飞行超过 16 万小时，售出超过 160 架。

该飞机最初是一款纯粹的教练机，已售往意大利、新加坡共和国、以色列、波兰、卡塔尔和希腊。

其最新推出的教练轻型战斗机版本已售往印度尼西亚、土库曼斯坦、奥地利和尼日利亚。

战斗机版本拥有七个外部挂点，可以集成空对空和空对地弹药以及与头盔显示器连接的瞄准吊舱。

莱昂纳多公司还试图向美国海军出售这款教练机，并与德事隆公司合作提供美国制造的版本。

美国海军正寻求替换其波音T-45“苍鹰”教练机队。

汤姆·金顿是《防务新闻》驻意大利记者。