Leonardo and Textron pitch M-346N for upcoming US Navy T-45 replacement
The M-346N would receive some minor tweaks and additional capabilities to support at-sea training operations. (Photo: Leonardo)
Leonardo and Textron’s joint effort to introduce the M-346N aircraft into the US Navy’s training programme has promised to offer a proven efficient training enterprise as the T-45 replacement.
A collaboration between Leonardo and Textron could offer a “no-drama” and “low-risk” solution for the US Navy’s (USN) Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) competition to replace the troubled T-45 Goshhawk trainer, company representatives told Shephard in a recent interview.
FY2025 navy budget documents, released last month, alongside an unofficial Request for Proposal (RFP), indicated that the service could start buying replacement jet trainers in 2026. An official RFP could be released at the end of 2024 or early next year.
Leonardo and Textron Aviation Defense have offered the naval version of the M-346 aircraft, dubbed M-346N, the only twin-engine solution
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age]()
October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age
Israel’s $1 billion Apache helicopter order highlights the continued demand for crewed attack aviation, while growing integration with uncrewed systems could shape future modernisation and procurement decisions.
-
![Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence]()
Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence
The rise of drones has reshaped the threat landscape for all European militaries. For industry, future defensive strategies must carefully balance a mix of passive and active measures to address the evolving danger, based around a highly integrated and responsive network of sensors and effectors.
-
![October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges]()
October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges
Recent procurement developments in France and Lithuania highlight the growing demand for loitering munitions, with global annual spending forecast to increase nearly 50-fold between 2020 and 2029.
-
![Quantum Systems details 480km/h Ukrainian interceptor as production scales up]()
Quantum Systems details 480km/h Ukrainian interceptor as production scales up
Quantum Systems’s Ukraine-made interceptor SPYS is thought to cost approximately 10 times less than Russia's jet-powered uncrewed aerial systems and is being produced at scale.
