In February 2014, the Polish Air Force selected the M-346 as the successor to the legendary TS-11 Iskra trainer aircraft. Then in November 2018, during a ceremony at the 4th Air Training Wing of the Polish Air Force in Dęblin, the M-346 officially received the Bielik name in Polish service. Since its introduction into the Polish Air Force fleet, the M-346 has been assigned to the 41st Air Training Base in Dęblin.

International air forces, including Italy, Israel, Poland, Singapore, Qatar and Greece, have ordered more than 100 M-346 aircraft. The aircraft also forms the backbone of the International Flight Training School (IFTS), a collaboration between Leonardo and the Italian Air Force, which Japan, Germany, Qatar and Singapore have selected.