Canada and Italy in Talks Over Purchase of Leonardo M-346 Advanced Jet Trainers

Canada is in active negotiations with Italy over the potential acquisition of Leonardo’s M-346 advanced jet trainer aircraft, in what could mark a significant step forward in modernizing how the Royal Canadian Air Force prepares its pilots for the skies.

The announcement came on the heels of a bilateral meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains signalling that this deal carries diplomatic weight well beyond a routine procurement exercise.

The M-346, designed and manufactured by Leonardo one of Italy’s most prominent aerospace and defence firms is regarded as one of the most capable advanced jet trainers currently on the market. The twin-engine aircraft bridges the gap between basic flight training and frontline combat aircraft, making it a popular choice among NATO allies looking to build credible sovereign air training programs.

Neither government has disclosed how many aircraft Canada is looking to acquire. However, both leaders framed the potential agreement in ambitious terms, saying it would equip the Royal Canadian Air Force with “state-of-the-art” training platforms while strengthening Canada’s ability to develop its own pilots domestically, rather than relying on foreign training programs.

The announcement builds on momentum that was already quietly building earlier this year, when the International Test Pilots School of Canada placed an order for six M-346s to support a new NATO training centre in North Bay, Ontario. That earlier order had already signalled Ottawa’s growing confidence in the Italian-designed platform and today’s diplomatic announcement suggests the relationship between Canada and Leonardo may be heading somewhere considerably larger in scale.

The deal, if finalized, would represent a meaningful deepening of defence ties between Ottawa and Rome at a time when NATO allies are under increasing pressure to invest in their own military capabilities and reduce dependencies on a small number of legacy suppliers.

Further details on the scope of the purchase, delivery timelines, and total contract value are expected to emerge as formal negotiations progress.