---
title: "Walk-Around Tour Of Beechcraft’s M-346 That’s Vying To Become The Navy’s Next Jet Trainer"
date: "2025-10-21"
modified: "2025-10-21"
authors:
  - name: "Tyler Rogoway"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway.md"
  - name: "Jamie Hunter"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/jamie-hunter.md"
url: "https://www.twz.com/air/walk-around-tour-of-beechcrafts-m-346-thats-vying-to-become-the-navys-next-jet-trainer"
categories:
  - "Air"
  - "Naval Aviation"
  - "T-45"
  - "Trainers"
---

# Walk-Around Tour Of Beechcraft’s M-346 That’s Vying To Become The Navy’s Next Jet Trainer

![M-346 jet trainer that's vying to become the Navy's T-45C replacement](<https://www.twz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/M346-Trainer.jpg>)
*TWZ*

Our Jamie Hunter went to Wichita to fly aboard [Beechcraft's M-346 jet trainer,](<https://defense.txtav.com/en/m-346n>) which could replace the [Navy's T-45 Goshawk](<https://www.twz.com/category/t-45>). Steven Helmer, a flight test and demonstration pilot for Textron Aviation and Defense, gave us a walk-around tour of the M-346 prior to taking to the skies.

The demonstrator Beechcraft is using is an [M-346FA (fighter-attack)](<https://aeronautics.leonardo.com/en/products/m-346fa>) model of Leonardo's M-346 Master family of jets. Leonardo and Textron, the latter of which owns Beechcraft, have joined forces for the Navy's next generation trainer opportunity. The Navy's M-346 variant will be configured slightly different, with the company giving the concept the designation M-346N. You can read all about this proposed variant [here](<https://www.twz.com/air/m-346n-pitched-to-replace-navys-t-45-goshawk-jet-trainers.md>).

![](<https://www.twz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/M-346N-top-scaled-1.jpg>)
*A render of the M-346N. (Textron)*

The next generation Navy jet trainer is [unlikely to be required to land or launch](<https://www.twz.com/33524/the-navys-next-carrier-jet-trainer-wont-be-able-to-land-or-take-off-from-a-carrier.md>) from a carrier, a controversial move to say the least, but this decision has opened up the field to types that won't require as extreme of a modification.

With all that being said, check out our walk-around tour below and stay tuned for a much deeper dive in the M-346 for the Navy in an upcoming video of Jamie's flight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW6tHnnKvlU

You can also check out Textron's pitch for the M-346N in our previous video below from Sea, Air, Space symposium earlier this year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBD1vlIYAwU

*Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com*

## Author
Tyler’s passion is the study of military technology, strategy, as well as foreign policy, and he has fostered a dominant voice on those topics in the defense and national security space. Tyler was the creator of the hugely popular defense site *Foxtrot Alpha* before developing *TWZ*, which he continues to lead as the Editor-In-Chief to this day.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/Aviation_Intel>)