ITPS Canada has ordered six Leonardo M-346 T Block 20 advanced jet trainers for its International Tactical Training Centre in North Bay, Ontario, as it expands training capacity for NATO and allied fighter pilots.
The contract, announced by Leonardo on May 26, 2026, includes options for six additional aircraft. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2029.
The aircraft will be used for advanced tactical training and lead-in fighter training, including preparation for pilots moving toward fourth-, fifth- and future-generation combat aircraft.
“The M-346 continues Italy’s illustrious track record of producing world leading jet trainer aircraft,” said Giorgio Clementi, Executive Chairman of ITPS, who signed the contract during a ceremony at Leonardo’s Venegono site in Italy.
Expanding training capacity in Canada
The M-346 T Block 20s will be based at ITPS Canada’s training center in North Bay, where the company provides tactical training for international military customers.
Leonardo said the order forms part of a first capability enhancement project for the International Tactical Training Centre, which supports training demand from more than 10 air forces.
The Block 20 version is the latest configuration of the M-346 trainer. It introduces upgraded avionics, a new cockpit with large area displays, a digital video and data recorder, helmet-mounted display capability and augmented reality features.
The aircraft also uses Leonardo’s embedded tactical training system, allowing pilots to train with simulated sensors, weapons and threats during live sorties.
Stefano Bortoli, managing director of Leonardo’s Aeronautics Division, said the ITPS order further validated the aircraft’s role in preparing fighter pilots for “rapidly changing and increasingly challenging operational scenarios.”
Leonardo says the M-346 training system has logged more than 160,000 flight hours, with more than 160 aircraft sold worldwide.
