Textron Aviation showcases the Beechcraft M-346N to US Navy UJTS program

Textron Aviation Defense has started a nationwide tour to showcase the Beechcraft M-346N as a candidate for the US Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program. The aircraft departed from Beech Factory Airport in Wichita, Kansas, where it was assembled, and will be presented to Navy officials at various locations.

The M-346N is part of an integrated training system based on the M-346 developed by Leonardo, an aircraft with over 100 units produced and more than 150,000 flight hours accumulated worldwide.

Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo have partnered under an agreement to meet the Navy’s requirements for a new jet trainer to succeed the current T-45 Goshawk fleet.

The US Navy has issued several requests for information as it prepares a future call for proposals for the UJTS program, which aims to modernize its jet training capabilities.

Boeing, Lockheed and SNC also compete in the bidding

The Beechcraft M-346N is offered with a comprehensive training ecosystem that includes ground-based simulation devices, artificial intelligence-driven adaptive instruction, and a Live, Virtual, Constructive (LVC) architecture. This system connects real aircraft, simulators, and computer-generated forces in real time.

Among its features, the M-346N is equipped with a Precision Landing Mode to facilitate carrier operations, a requirement for the Navy’s trainer replacement. The aircraft is powered by two Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofan engines, has a maximum cruise speed above 590 knots, and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet.

The two-seat, twin-engine jet features fully digital flight controls, a quadruple-redundant fly-by-wire system, and an advanced human-machine interface with a head-up display and large multifunction displays. The elevated cockpit design aims to enhance instructor visibility during all phases of flight.

Other competitors participating in the UJTS are Boeing and Saab with the T-7 Red Hawk, Lockheed in partnership with South Korea’s KAI with the T-50 jet, and Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), which launched a ground-up aircraft, the Freedom Trainer.

About the Author

Ricardo Meier

Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.

Articles by the author »