Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master

The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master is a military twin-engine transonic trainer aircraft. The type is currently operated by the air forces of Italy, Israel, Singapore and Poland. Originally co-developed with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130, partnership ended in 2000 and Alenia Aermacchi separately developed the M-346 Master while Yakolev continued work on the Yakovlev Yak-130. First flight of the M-346 took place in 2004.

Development

In 1993, Aermacchi signed an agreement to partner with Yakovlev on the new trainer the firm had been developing since 1991 for the Russian Air Force. The resulting aircraft first flew in 1996 and was brought to Italy the following year to replace the aging MB-339. At the time, the aircraft was marketed as the Yak/AEM-130, however, by 2000, differences in priorities between the two firms had brought about an end to the partnership, with each developing the aircraft independently; Yakovlev received US$77 million for technical documents of the aircraft. Yakovlev would be able to sell the aircraft to countries such those in the Commonwealth of Independent States, India, Slovakia and Algeria. Aeromacchi would be able to sell to NATO countries, among others. A Russian version is also being pursued by Yakovlev and Sokol, under a different time schedule.