page_title: Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master
section_title: Operational history
hierarchical_section_title: Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master / Operational history
caption_attribution_description: M346 - RIAT 2009
context_page_description: The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a military twin-engine transonic trainer aircraft. Originally co-developed with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130, the partnership was dissolved in 2000 and Alenia Aermacchi proceeded to separately develop the M-346 Master, while Yakolev continued work on the Yakovlev Yak-130. The first flight of the M-346 was performed in 2004. The type is currently operated by the air forces of Italy, Israel, Singapore, and Poland. Since 2016 the manufacturer became Leonardo-Finmeccanica as Alenia Aermacchi merged into the new Finmeccanica, finally rebranded as Leonardo in 2017.
context_section_description: The Italian Air Force intended to acquire a first batch of 15 low rate production M-346 aircraft. On 18 June 2009, Alenia Aermacchi announced they had received an order for the first six with an option for nine more. In September 2015, the Italian Air Force started their first training course using the M-346 trainer.
  The M-346 was named the winner of a competition by the United Arab Emirates at the IDEX 2009 defense show in Abu Dhabi on 25 February 2009. The official said the order involved delivery of 48 aircraft to be used for pilot training and light attack duties. A final request for proposals in 2010 had set the requirement at 20 trainers, 20 aircraft for combat duties, and the remainder would go toward the creation of a formation aerobatic team. However, by January 2010, negotiations to sign a contract had reportedly stalled over specifications.
  In July 2010, the M-346 was selected by Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to replace the ST Aerospace A-4SU Super Skyhawks in the Advanced Jet Training (AJT) role, based at BA 120 Cazaux Air Base in France. In a press release by the Singaporean Ministry of Defence on 28 September 2010, ST Aerospace was awarded the contract to acquire twelve M-346 and a ground-based training system on behalf of RSAF. As stipulated in the contract, ST Aerospace acts as the main contractor in the maintenance of the aircraft after delivery by Alenia Aermacchi while Boeing supplies the training system. The RSAF holds the distinction of being the first export customer for the type.
  The Advance European Pilot Training (AEPTJ) program – also unofficially called Eurotraining – a consortium of 12 European nations to give advance & lead-in fighter training with a common core course and training provided by a common aircraft – has contacted Alenia Aermacchi through the European Defence agency in 2010, for further information on the M-346. In May 2013, Alenia Aermacchi announced that the AEPTJ held a low priority for the firm and that "...progress has been slow."
  On 18 November 2011, the prototype, which had been on display at the Dubai Air Show, crashed after departing Dubai on return to Italy.
  On 16 February 2012, the M-346 was selected by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) in an exchange deal, in which Israel will build a reconnaissance satellite and AWACs systems for Italy in return for the planes. It will operate as the IAF's main training jet to replace the McDonnell Douglas A-4H/N Skyhawk, which has served the IAF for over 40 years. On 19 July 2012, a contract was signed between Alenia Aermacchi and the Israeli Ministry of Defence to supply 30 M-346 advanced jet trainers, with the first delivery expected in the middle of 2014. The Israeli Air Force announced on 2 July 2013 that in Israeli service the M-346 would be named the Lavi, reusing the name given to the cancelled IAI Lavi. The IAF's first M-346 was rolled out in a ceremony at Alenia Aermacchi's factory in Venegono Superiore on March 20, 2014.
  On 11 May 2013, an Alenia-operated M-346 crashed near the village of Piana Crixia, in Val Bormida, between the provinces of Cuneo and Savona, Italy, during a test flight. The pilot was able to eject successfully and survived the crash, but received serious injuries after jumping from the tree where his parachute had been entangled. The type was grounded for more than three months while the cause of the crash was investigated.
  In March 2016, Finmeccanica signed  contract worth over 300 million Euros with the Italian Ministry of Defence for 9 Aermacchi M-346, bringing the number of aircraft ordered by Italy to 18.
  In October 2016, the Argentine Air Force also evaluated the M-346 as a potential combat fighter to replace the Dassault Mirage III and Mirage 5 aircraft it had retired in 2015, as well as the Douglas A-4R aircraft that remain in service with only limited capability. Argentina is speculated to be interested in 10 to 12 aircraft.
  In February 2018, the Italian Air Force received its 18th and final M-346, concluding the force's acquisition program.
  On 19 November 2018, Leonardo's Aircraft Division t
caption: M-346 at RIAT 2009
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