Austria is advancing its plans to acquire a new advanced jet trainer capability, with Italy having formally offered to supply its air force with up to 12 Leonardo M-346s.
Under a long-planned acquisition, the Austrian air force is expected to field replacements for its already retired Saab 105s. Bundesheer operations with the Swedish-built ended in late 2020, with 19 examples having been in use.
In late August, local media outlets quoted Austrian defence minister Klaudia Tanner as stating that Italy had proposed a joint procurement activity involving the Leonardo-built type.
Currently without its own jet trainer assets, Austria is among several nations which send student pilots to the International Flight Training School at Decimomannu in Sardinia. Delivered jointly by the Italian air force and Leonardo, this facility employs a fleet of M-346s.
In addition to supporting pilot training tasks, Austria is keen for its future aircraft to also be capable of acting as a companion trainer for the Eurofighter combat aircraft, potentially including the ability to use weapons. Leonardo offers its twin-engined ‘Master’ in the armed FA-model configuration.
Austria is undertaking a significant modernisation of its air force fleet, with the nation already having fielded six Leonardo Helicopters AW169M utility helicopters from an eventually 36-strong fleet of the type. It also will introduce four Embraer C-390 tactical transports from late this decade via a joint procurement being made with the Netherlands, which will take five of the Brazilian-built twinjet.
In May 2024, Austria also secured approval from the US Department of State for a potential follow-on buy of 12 Sikorsky UH-60M helicopters: its air force already flies nine older-model examples of the Black Hawk.
