Nigeria's M-346FA light attack jet performs first flight ahead of official delivery.

The first Leonardo M-346FA light attack aircraft built for the Nigerian Air Force performed its first flight in Italy in its official delivery paint scheme.

The first M-346FA light attack aircraft built for the Nigerian Air Force performed its initial flight test at Leonardo facilities in Italy in its official delivery paint scheme. The aircraft is part of a €1.2 billion procurement program signed in 2023 with Leonardo covering 24 aircraft, training, weapons, and long-term support. The M-346FA will replace aging Alpha Jet trainers and support pilot training and operational missions within the Nigerian Air Force fleet, with deliveries scheduled to begin this year.
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The M-346FA is powered by two Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofan engines, each producing 28 kN of thrust, and is designed to act as both a twin-seat advanced jet trainer and a light combat aircraft. (Picture source: X/Defense News Nigeria)

On March 7, 2026, Defense News Nigeria announced that the first of 24 Leonardo M-346FA light attack aircraft built for the Nigerian Air Force carried out a flight in its official delivery grey paint scheme, marking a visible milestone in Nigeria’s acquisition program valued at €1.2 billion, equivalent to about $1.39 billion. Representing one of the largest combat aircraft procurements undertaken by a West African state, the M-346FA agreement combines aircraft production, weapons integration, pilot training, and long-term logistical support over 25 years. Production is underway in Italy, and the aircraft were scheduled to be delivered progressively between 2025 and mid-2026.

The M-346FA will replace the Nigerian Air Force's aging Dassault Alpha Jet A/E training aircraft and reinforce Nigeria’s air combat and pilot training structure. The Italian jet is also intended to function as a lead-in fighter trainer for future operations involving JF-17 fighters while maintaining operational strike capability. The acquisition contract was signed in November 2023 between the Nigerian Air Force and Leonardo and includes aircraft, armaments, ground support equipment, spare parts, tools, pilot instruction, and maintenance infrastructure. The support arrangement extends across 25 years and is designed to ensure continuous fleet availability through scheduled maintenance, spare parts supply, and technical assistance.

Elbit Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are reportedly connected with avionics components, radar integration, and munitions supply for the Nigerian order. This agreement also includes a cooperation with the Italian Air Force to train Nigerian pilots at the International Flight Training School at both Galatina in Lecce and Decimomannu Air Base in Sardinia. Nigerian authorities have also promoted the establishment of a maintenance hub within Nigeria to support the M-346FAs during their operational life cycle for long-term fleet management. The delivery plan for the fleet is structured in four tranches of six aircraft each, resulting in a total of 24 M-346FA jets entering service gradually.

The first three aircraft were scheduled for delivery by Leonardo during 2025, with the remaining aircraft to follow until mid-2026. At least six aircraft have reached advanced stages of production, with three already undergoing flight tests and three more expected to enter that phase. Nigerian officials inspected the first group of aircraft during a program review visit to Leonardo facilities in Italy, where assembly lines and flight testing procedures were examined. The aircraft deliveries are synchronized with the parallel acquisition of AW-109 Trekker helicopters, which form part of the same modernization effort. Ten additional AW-109 helicopters are scheduled for delivery, with three already completed, three expected by the end of 2025, and four more planned for early 2026.

The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master originates from the Yak/AEM-130 program initiated through cooperation between Aermacchi (now Leonardo) and the Russian company Yakovlev before development continued independently for the two countries. The first flight of the M-346 occurred on July 15, 2004, and the M-346 has since entered service with several air forces, including Italy, Israel, Singapore, Poland, Greece, Qatar, and Turkmenistan. The combat-capable configuration, later known as the M-346FA, is a multirole fighter attack version designed to combine advanced training functions with operational combat capability. In Nigerian service, the aircraft could be designated as M-346FGA and performs both training and combat missions.

The M-346FA, therefore, will occupy an intermediate position between turboprop attack aircraft such as the A-29B Super Tucano and heavier supersonic fighters such as the Chengdu F-7 and the JF-17. The M-346 uses two Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofan engines, each generating 28 kN of thrust, and possesses a length of 11.49 meters, a wingspan of 9.72 meters, a height of 4.76 meters, as well as an empty weight of 4,900 kilograms. Gross weight reaches 6,700 kilograms while maximum takeoff weight is 9,600 kilograms. The aircraft reaches a maximum speed of Mach 0.95 and can operate at a service ceiling of 13,716 meters.

In terms of performance, the M-346FA's rate of climb reaches 112 meters per second, and the aircraft has a range of 1,925 kilometers, which can extend to 2,550 kilometers when three external fuel tanks are installed. Endurance is about 2 hours and 45 minutes and can reach about four hours with external tanks. The flight control system uses a quadruplex digital fly-by-wire architecture that supports high maneuverability and allows training environments that replicate the behavior of modern fighter aircraft. The M-346FA variant integrates the Grifo-M346 multi-mode radar and seven external hardpoints capable of carrying a total payload of up to 3,000 kilograms.

Weapon options include air-to-air missiles such as AIM-9 Sidewinder, IRIS-T, and I-Derby ER. Air-to-surface armament can include AGM-65 Maverick missiles, free-fall bombs, laser-guided bombs, rockets, and anti-ship missiles. Gun pods include a 12.7 mm FN Herstal HMP250 machine gun pod and the Nexter 20 mm M621 cannon. The aircraft can also carry reconnaissance pods, targeting pods, and electronic warfare pods, while defensive aids include radar warning receivers, missile approach warning systems, and countermeasure dispensers. These features enable the M-346FA to conduct air policing, reconnaissance, precision strike, and close air support missions.

The cockpit, for its part, includes three multifunction displays, a head-up display, and compatibility with helmet-mounted displays and night vision systems. Nigeria’s current combat aviation inventory includes 7 Chengdu F-7 fighters (as well as one FT-7Ni), 13 Dassault Alpha Jet A/Es, 11 Aero L-39ZA Albatros aircraft, 12 A-29B Super Tucano turboprop attack aircraft, and 6 Aermacchi MB-339AN jets. The introduction of the M-346FA will gradually replace the Alpha Jet fleet and reinforce training for more advanced fighters.

For now, Nigerian pilot training is structured in phases beginning with turboprop aircraft such as the Super Tucano, followed by the M-346FA for advanced jet instruction, and finally transitioning to Chengdu PAC JF-17 fighters. The Super Tucano aircraft carries weapons such as Paveway II guided bombs and laser-guided rockets for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations. The JF-17 fighters are intended to provide air superiority functions within the force structure. The addition of the M-346FA therefore fills the capability gap between turboprop attack aircraft and heavier fighters while maintaining operational flexibility.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.