Andrea Spinelli/GENOA
Italy is the latest nation to show interest in joining the US Department of Defense's Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project, with the air force and industry aiming to take more than "observer status".
A formal announcement on joining the concept-definition phase of the JSF programme is likely shortly. Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have already taken "observer-status" roles in the project, at an entry price of $10 million.
Italy is interested in investing substantially more in the JSF at this stage, although not as much as the UK Ministry of Defence, which has given London full-partner status in this phase of the programme.
Within the Italian air force and navy, the JSF is being viewed as a replacement for the Alenia/Embraer AMX light fighter, with the advanced short take-off vertical-landing JSF variant superseding the Boeing Harrier II Plus. Both services are looking to begin replacing the two aircraft in 2015.
The air force is also considering whether the JSF could meet its requirement eventually to replace the Panavia Tornado Interdictor Strike aircraft. A total Italian requirement of between 120 and 150 aircraft is being mooted.
The Italian navy has taken delivery of the last of its 18 Boeing Harrier II Plus. The navy had harboured ambitions of acquiring an additional eight single-seat aircraft, although this contract option has since expired.
The navy is also to receive a batch of Hughes AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) for its Harriers. The US Marine Corps was initially lukewarm about the AMRAAM integration, but this issue is understood to have been resolved. Alenia will lead integration of the missile for the USMC, and for the Italian and Spanish navies.
While Italy has received all of its Harriers, it is still suffering from a shortage of pilots. The navy now has more Harrier IIPlus airframes than pilots to fly them.
Source: Flight International
