Textron Aviation Defense launches nationwide tour showcasing Beechcraft M-346N capabilities for U.S. Navy

Textron Aviation Defense LLC, a Textron Inc. company, launched a nationwide tour to showcase the Beechcraft M-346N as a “ready-now” total solution for the U.S. Navy Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program. The aircraft set off from Beech Factory Airport following its assembly at Textron Aviation Defense’s headquarters in Wichita, Kansas.

The Beechcraft M-346N is part of a proven integrated training system based on the original M-346 developed by Leonardo, which is currently training pilots for 4th and 5th generation air forces worldwide.

“Assembled in the United States and backed by Beechcraft’s 85-year legacy of training U.S. military pilots, the M-346N represents the next evolution in jet trainer capability,” says Travis Tyler, president and CEO, Textron Aviation Defense. “This platform is operationally proven and ready to deliver a comprehensive and advanced training solution to the U.S. Navy today.”

Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo have entered into a teaming agreement to work together to meet the Navy’s requirements for its new jet trainer. The U.S. Navy has released several Requests for Information related to an upcoming Request for Proposals for a new aircraft for the UJTS program.

The Beechcraft M-346N offers a full training ecosystem, including high-fidelity ground-based devices, adaptive AI-powered instruction and a Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) architecture that links aircraft, simulators and computer-generated forces in real time. The system also features Precision Landing Mode to prepare naval aviators for carrier-based operations.

With more than 100 M-346 aircraft produced by Leonardo in service and over 150,000 flight hours logged, the platform has demonstrated exceptional performance and reliability in meeting the rigorous training demands of 20 global users and counting. These results translate into reduced training risk and accelerated student readiness.