On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, the third day of the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 in the United Kingdom, Italy’s Leonardo group and Canadian company CAE Inc. signed a cooperation agreement to expand their partnership on the M-346 Master advanced trainer aircraft as part of the Integrated Training System.
Photos: Leonardo
The agreement strengthens the partnership by addressing market demand for advanced combat pilot training and establishing the development of enhanced capabilities to prepare pilots for evolving operational concepts, including current- and next-generation air operations, artificial intelligence-enabled systems, and increasingly autonomous mission environments.
The agreement reflects the continued development of the CAE-Leonardo relationship and expands its scope to include live-virtual-constructive training environments and Live Synthetic Integration. The companies will jointly develop a technology roadmap to enhance the M-346 Integrated Training System, including features of the Block 20 upgrade package.
The International Flight Training School at Decimomannu in Sardinia, operated by Leonardo in cooperation with CAE, is a proven example of the CAE-Leonardo partnership. It provides one of the world’s most highly integrated jet fighter training environments, designed to prepare pilots for complex next-generation operational missions. By combining live flying, advanced simulation, and mission exercises supported by data-driven instruction, the IFTS demonstrates how integrated training solutions can accelerate and sustain mission readiness.
The integrated training approach demonstrated at the IFTS also reflects the growing need for greater interoperability among allied air forces. Training environments such as the IFTS enable pilots from different countries to train together using common standards, tactics, and mission scenarios, strengthening operational cohesion across NATO and partner forces. Advanced simulation allows pilots to experience complex operational scenarios repeatedly and safely, accelerating the learning process while improving readiness for real-world missions.
“Our longstanding collaboration with Leonardo and the International Flight Training School (IFTS), stands as the premier example of combining highly sophisticated simulation technologies and live flight training to deliver world-class pilot instruction and operational readiness,” said Pascal Grenier, President, CAE Defence & Security. “The future battlespace will place greater demands on pilots than ever before. Through this collaboration, we will develop training environments that help aviators build the judgement, adaptability, and decision-making skills needed to employ advanced and automated mission systems.”
“As nations across the world prepare to operate increasingly advanced and integrated air capabilities, pilot training must rapidly adapt to make sure the entire syllabus and the relevant technologies fully adhere to this evolution,” said Stefano Bortoli, Leonardo Aeronautics Managing Director. “This progressive agreement with our longstanding partner, CAE, will strengthen the development of highly skilled pilots for current and future operational requirements. By combining our complementary know-hows and experiences, already shown through our collaboration on the International Flight Training School, we are strengthening our ability to support defence leaders in ensuring their pilots are prepared for the challenges of tomorrow’s battlespace.”
Leonardo aircraft at Farnborough 2026: the C-27J Spartan light transport aircraft and the M-346 Master advanced trainer / Photo: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
The M-346 is a key component of an innovative and continuously evolving advanced flight training system that has already demonstrated its effectiveness. With a proven track record, more than 170,000 flight hours accumulated, including over 10,000 hours in Poland as of June 2024, and more than 170 aircraft ordered, it enables numerous air forces around the world to train pilots for the latest generation of high-performance fighter aircraft and prepare them for the transition to a new generation of combat systems.
The M-346 system has been selected by 23 operators for pilot training. It is also used for tactical operations as a light multirole combat aircraft. Thanks to its high performance and maneuverability, the M-346 has also been selected by the Italian Air Force as the future aircraft of the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display team.
🔴#LDO_PR #Leonardo and @CAE_Inc today announced, at @FIAFarnborough International Airshow, a collaboration agreement that leverages their long‑standing partnership on the #M346 Integrated Training System (#ITS). The agreement strengthens the cooperation, addressing market… pic.twitter.com/6ZH9NTbJfR
— Leonardo (@Leonardo_live) July 22, 2026
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