By Catherine Morrison
Posted June 16, 2026 8:47 am
1 min read
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Canada and Italy have entered talks for Canada’s purchase of M-346 advanced jet trainer aircraft.
The announcement was made after a meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains.
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The jets are designed and produced by Leonardo, one of Italy’s largest aerospace companies.
It’s unclear how many jets Canada is looking to purchase.
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The leaders say the agreement will enable the Royal Canadian Air Force to train in “state-of-the-art” equipment and build sovereign training capability.
Earlier this year, the International Test Pilots School of Canada ordered six Italian-made M-346 fighter jets for a new NATO training centre in North Bay.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
