National

Canada begins talks with Italy on buying advanced trainer jets

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Jun, 2026 09:47 AM

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.

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.

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.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

'December to remember': Winter will get off to an abrupt start, Weather Network says

Blasts of frigid Arctic air could send temperatures tumbling in December and herald the arrival of a more "traditional Canadian winter," a meteorologist for the Weather Network predicts as it releases its seasonal outlook.

'December to remember': Winter will get off to an abrupt start, Weather Network says

B.C. launching review of post-secondary education in wake of declining stability

British Columbia is launching an independent review into its public post-secondary education system as enrolment drops and inflation rises.

B.C. launching review of post-secondary education in wake of declining stability

Carney says his comment about speaking with Trump was a 'poor choice of words'

Prime Minister Mark Carney says his recent reply to a question about the state of trade talks with the U.S. — "Who cares?" — amounted to "a poor choice of words."

Carney says his comment about speaking with Trump was a 'poor choice of words'

B.C. woman sentenced to 18 months in jail for money laundering in

Securing a guilty plea in a British Columbia money laundering case that dates back to 2019 involved undercover officers and multiple search warrants, and organized crime investigators say they hope an 18-month jail sentence handed down this month is the first of many.

B.C. woman sentenced to 18 months in jail for money laundering in

CBSA, PMO say they were not involved in MP announcing ban on Belfast band Kneecap

The Canada Border Services Agency and the Prime Minister's Office say they were not involved in an Ontario Liberal MP's announcement that members of the Belfast band Kneecap were banned from entering Canada.

CBSA, PMO say they were not involved in MP announcing ban on Belfast band Kneecap

Premier Eby tells Carney it's unacceptable B.C. has been cut out of pipeline talks

For a project he says "doesn't actually exist," there was a lot British Columbia Premier David Eby had to say about a potential pipeline from Alberta to B.C.'s northern coast, in a phone call with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday.