Days after its rollout, the first M-346 trainer jet destined to the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team took off for its maiden flight.
The first M-346 trainer jet destined to the Italian Air Force’s Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team has now conducted its maiden flight, days after being rolled out of factory at Leonardo’s facilities in Venegono. The aircraft conducted a short functional test flight on Oct. 29, 2026, before landing again at Venegono’s airfield.
The photos you can see in this article were captured by local aviation photographer Jacopo Castelli, who kindly shared them with us.
This M-346 is the first of 15 that will be delivered to the Frecce Tricolori, of which ten aircraft will be assigned to the main formation, one to the commander and four will be spares. According to unconfirmed sources, additional M-346s of the team are in final assembly.
A new livery
As we reported on occasion of the rollout, the aircraft has been painted in the new livery announced in 2024, although it is still missing the number and the Frecce Tricolori markings on the tail. The new livery is designed by Pininfarina, the renowned Italian design and engineering firm famous for its work in the automotive industry, particularly in the design of luxury and high-performance vehicles.
However, the new livery has been met by criticism by many aviation enthusiasts before of the many differences when compared with the current livery. In fact, this livery is characterized by a matte dark blue, instead of the glossy blue associated with the Frecce’s MB-339s.
Additionally, a large white patch covers the dorsal area of the M-346, while a white line can be seen on the underside. This line will accompanied by the green and the red on separate sides to make up for the Italian flag’s colors, replacing the symmetric design used on the MB-339.
When the livery was unveiled in 2024, statements mentioned it has been designed to highlight the Frecce Tricolori’s flight through a three-dimensional design, ensuring that there is always a recognizable graphic element capable of conveying a sense of speed and dynamism to the audience during the maneuvers. However, in addition to these aesthetic reasons, there are also functional reasons.
Starting from the main color, the most criticized aspect, the darker, matte blue and the large use of white increase the M-346’s visual contrast against the clear sky and in overcast sky, respectively. Additionally, the asymmetry obtained on the underside with the green on the right side, the white in the middle and the red on the left allows the pilots to immediately identify the orientation and positioning of the aircraft during formation flight and maneuvers.
A new ride for the Frecce Tricolori
The M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer (T-346A in accordance with the Italian MOD Mission Design Series) was chosen as the successor of the team’s MB-339s in 2024. The decision was announced during an event celebrating the team’s return from their North America Tour 2024.
Visualizza questo post su Instagram
On the same occasion, the service also presented the new livery designed by Pininfarina, which was applied to an aircraft towed in front of the guests attending the ceremony. A week later, the annual multiyear defense planning document (Documento Programmatico Pluriennale della Difesa), which reviews the military funding for 2024-2026, mentioned the acquisition of 20 additional M-346s by the Italian Air Force.
The Frecce Tricolori would get 15 of those aircraft, while the remaining 5 will join the other 18 currently used for training by the 61st Wing and the International Flight Training School (IFTS). The team will thus receive ten aircraft for the main formation, plus the one of the commander and four spares.
These aircraft will be in the same general configuration of the ones already in service, instead of the newer Block 20 aircraft. However, they will also have other customized features specific to their role in the aerobatic team.
Among these features are specific recording equipment and the smoke generators. The team uses a liquid composed of vaseline oil to which non-polluting pigments are added, sprayed near the engine’s exhaust to produce the colored smoke.
The M-346s will replace the team’s aging MB-339s, which were adopted in 1982. The initial plan was to equip the Frecce Tricolori with the M-345 High Efficiency Trainer, chosen to replace the ItAF fleet of MB-339s, but the decision has been reverted.
Thanks again to Jacopo Castelli for the photos he sent us, you can find more of his work on Instagram at @spotter_jaki.
