Case Study: Israeli Air Force achieves seamless transition to F-35‑ready pilots with Honeywell-powered Leonardo M-346

Honeywell-Powered Leonardo M-346 Lives up to Every Expectation With Israeli Air Force

The Israeli Air Force needed a modern, high‑performance jet trainer to replace aging A‑4 Skyhawks and prepare pilots for the incoming F‑35. After evaluating options against 150 criteria, they selected the Honeywell‑powered Leonardo M‑346—equipped with twin Honeywell F124 engines—to provide a realistic, safe lead‑in to frontline fighters.

Honeywell delivered 30 M‑346 aircraft on time and on budget, giving the IAF an advanced trainer with twin‑engine redundancy, digital fighter‑style avionics, and lower operating and maintenance costs. The Honeywell solution has met expectations: pilots move more easily to frontline jets, training hours in expensive fighters have been reduced, and the Honeywell F124 engines have recorded zero failures in four years of service.

Israeli Air Force