Austria considers purchasing M-346 jets from Italian Leonardo

Defence Secretary Claudia Tanner has announced that her country intends to purchase M-346 jet trainer aircraft from the Italian defence company Leonardo.

Here's What We Know

Austria wants to buy advanced jets to replace its old fleet of Saab 105 jets, which were decommissioned due to obsolescence. The M-346s are designed for both training and air defence.

The initiative is part of Austria's long-term military strategy, which runs until at least 2032.

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Tanner instructed the General Staff to study the legal requirements for cooperation with Italy. She also expressed her gratitude to Italian Defence Minister Guido Crossetto for the proposal, stressing the importance of trust and transparency in such cooperation agreements.

Tanner noted the success of previous joint procurements, including Leonardo AW-169 helicopters and Embraer C-390 transport aircraft.

Flashback

The Aermacchi M-346 is a modern Italian jet combat trainer aircraft developed by Alenia Aermacchi (now Leonardo). Its purpose is to train pilots to fly modern fighter aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon or F-35. The aircraft has a two-seat cockpit with digital control systems that simulate combat fighters. The M-346 can reach speeds of up to 1,092 km/h and altitudes of up to 13,700 metres. It is also equipped with a variety of weapons, including missiles and bombs, which allows it to be used as a light attack aircraft. The M-346 is actively exported to Israel and Poland, among others.

Source: Defence Industry Europe