On 3 April 2023, the first of ten ordered Leonardo M346B Master advanced lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) aircraft was seen flying in its full Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia (HAF, Hellenic Air Force) livery from its birthplace Varese-Venegono Airport, Italy, scramble.nl reports. The aircraft, registered CSX55277, made it maiden flight in a primer color scheme on 30 January and was given the HAF identity 250 when painted in its final overall grey colors.
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 On 3 April 2023, the first of ten ordered Leonardo M346B Master advanced lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) aircraft was seen flying in its full Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia (HAF, Hellenic Air Force) (Picture source: Tiziano Capenti/aplace2land.com via scramble.nl)
The Leonardo M346B Master is a sophisticated aircraft with a sleek and modern design. This advanced trainer aircraft is equipped with powerful Honeywell F124-GA-200 turbofan engines, each capable of producing a maximum thrust of 28.49 kN. The aircraft has a length of 11.49 meters, a wingspan of 9.72 meters, and a height of 4.76 meters, making it an impressive sight on the tarmac.
The M346B Master is designed for high-performance flying, with a maximum speed of Mach 1.2 (1,470 km/h) and a service ceiling of 13,716 meters. It has a range of 1,891 kilometers, allowing it to fly long distances without refueling. The aircraft can remain airborne for up to 2.5 hours, making it a capable trainer for extended missions.
The aircraft's avionics suite is state-of-the-art, with a multi-mode radar, electronic warfare system, digital mission computer, and head-up display. The cockpit features a glass cockpit design, with large color displays providing the pilot with situational awareness and mission data. The M346B Master is also capable of carrying a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, including missiles, bombs, and rockets.
The M346B Master is primarily designed as an advanced trainer aircraft, capable of providing training for a variety of missions. It can simulate air-to-air combat, air-to-ground attack, and reconnaissance, among other scenarios. This makes it an ideal choice for air forces around the world seeking to train their pilots for a wide range of missions.
Five Masters are on the production line for the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) (probably line numbers HAF1 through HAF5), and two of them will be delivered in the middle of this year, scramble.nl reports.
Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems has been awarded the contract for the establishment and operation of the HAF International Flight Training Centre (FTC). The deal, worth approximately USD 1,65 billion (€1,38 billion), was signed on 18 April 2021 and includes the delivery of ten M346B LIFT aircraft that will be operated by the HAF-FTC from Kalamata air base in the Peloponnesus, Greece. The current LIFT platform, the North American T-2C/E Buckeye will be decommissioned just short of half a century of service. The HAF received its first examples in February 1976.
