An Italian Air Force Aermacchi M-346 jet trainer has flown non-stop to the Persian Gulf in order to promote aircraft to three gulf countries Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait.

The aircraft, accompanied by two F-2000A Eurofighters and a Boeing KC-767A tanker, was on a 10-day promotional tour of the Gulf.

The non-stop transit flights were part of aircraft promotion as M-346 is only training aircraft that has refuelling capability in flight.  

The T-346 (the Italian Air Force designation for the M-346 Master) took six hours to fly to and from the Gulf, with five refuelling each way.