ITPS Canada Buys Leonardo M-346T Block 20 Advanced Jet Trainers

International Test Pilot School (ITPS) Canada has ordered M-346T advanced jet trainers from Leonardo, following an airborne evaluation of the aircraft at the Ottawa International Airport in October 2025.

ITPS, a provider of flight testing and military tactical training to several air forces for over 25 years, signed a contract that covers six Block 20 lead-in trainer aircraft, options for an additional six units, and a final flight evaluation. 

Deliveries to the company’s International Tactical Training Centre in North Bay, Ontario, are slated to begin by 2029, supporting the expansion of NATO and Allied tactical fighter pilot training. 

M-346 in its Block 20 configuration features an advanced flight training system, including a ground-based training system and elements that pair simulations with real flights according to a live, virtual, and constructive logic.

It measures around 11.5 meters (38 feet) long with a wingspan of approximately 10 meters (33 feet).

Powered by two Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofans, the trainer aircraft can fly at a top speed of 1,090 kilometers (677 miles) per hour and reach altitudes of up to 13,715 meters (45,000 feet).

These features, combined with a high thrust-to-weight ratio and maneuverability at high angles, make the M-346 designed to train pilots for fighter jets like the F-35 Lightning II and Eurofighter Typhoon.

Textron and Leonardo pitched the Beechcraft M-346N light aircraft — based on the original M-346 airframe — in July 2025 for the US Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System program.

Apart from its jet trainer role, the M-346 can also operate as a light attack aircraft. Several countries have expressed interest in buying or have already acquired the M-346FA variant, including Austria, Indonesia, and Nigeria.