Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master
Military training aircraft
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Key Takeaways
- The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a family of military twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft.
- The first flight of the M-346 was performed in 2004.
- Since 2016 the manufacturer became Leonardo-Finmeccanica as Alenia Aermacchi merged into the new Finmeccanica, finally rebranded as Leonardo in 2017.
- Aermacchi also gained the right to modify and market the aircraft for the Western market.
- By this point, the aircraft was being marketed as the Yak/AEM-130 .
The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a family of military twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft. Originally co-developed with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130, the partnership was dissolved in 2000 and then Alenia Aermacchi proceeded to separately develop the M-346 Master, while Yakovlev continued work on the Yakovlev Yak-130. The first flight of the M-346 was performed in 2004. The M-346 is currently in operation with the air forces of Italy, Israel, Singapore, Greece, Qatar, Turkmenistan, and Poland. Since 2016 the manufacturer became Leonardo-Finmeccanica as Alenia Aermacchi merged into the new Finmeccanica, finally rebranded as Leonardo in 2017.
Development
Background
In 1992, Aermacchi signed a cooperation agreement with Yakovlev to provide financial and technical support for the new trainer that the firm had been developing since 1991 for the Russian Air Force in competition with the Mikoyan MiG-AT. Aermacchi also gained the right to modify and market the aircraft for the Western market. The resulting aircraft first flew in 1996 and was brought to Italy the following year to replace the aging MB-339. By this point, the aircraft was being marketed as the Yak/AEM-130. In February 1996, Russia provided initial funding for the Yak/AEM-130 and pledged to purchase up to 200 aircraft for the Russian Air Force.
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