Austria plans to acquire 12 fighter jets from Italy, newspaper says

Austria is set to acquire 12 M-346 FA fighter jets manufactured in Italy to replace the Saab 105 aircraft that were retired at the end of 2020, according to a report by Krone newspaper on Saturday. The report, citing military sources, indicated that a letter of intent was expected to be signed with the Italian Defence Ministry for the jets produced by Leonardo, an Italian aerospace company. The Austrian Defence Ministry has not yet responded to inquiries regarding this report, although the Austrian news agency APA has confirmed the planned acquisition.

While the total expenditure for the purchase remains unspecified, approximately 1 billion euros ($1.04 billion) has been allocated for this initiative, as noted by the newspaper. Earlier this summer, Austrian media suggested that the country was preparing to procure the M-346 FA jets. These aircraft will serve purposes including pilot training, ground force support, and air defense, as reported by the newspaper.