The European project will help preserve the national and allied skies beyond 2040, strengthen strategic capabilities, and generate revenue while Italy waits for the fifth-generation jet
Strengthening air capabilities. Italy plans to increase its fighter fleet by purchasing an additional 24 Eurofighter Typhoons. The government has submitted a purchase request to Parliament.
- Parliament will now gather non-binding opinions from the Defence and Budget Commissions.
- This purchase was not previously included in the last multi-annual planning document (DPP 2023-2025). The estimated cost, between 5 and 8 billion euros, will most likely be covered by the next defence budget.
- The Italian fleet currently includes 96 Eurofighters, with 94 still in active service.
A great example of European cooperation. The Eurofighter Typhoon, also known as the F-2000A, is a 4.5-generation fighter developed and produced by a pan-European coalition of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
- These countries collectively control the consortium with shares of 33%, 33%, 21%, and 13%, respectively. This project builds upon the previous collaboration that resulted in the development of the Panavia Tornado fighter in the 1980s.
- So far, 603 Eurofighter Typhoons have been delivered worldwide, making this project one of the most successful examples of European military cooperation.
It is a high-performance military aircraft… says Giancarlo Mezzanatto, CEO of Eurofighter, who explains that “the Typhoon, which is the backbone of European air defence, will protect our skies until 2060.”
- Furthermore, as a fully European program, the order will be profitable. In economic terms, the program will employ over 20,000 people in Italy alone.
- Most importantly, it is a way of supporting and developing national capabilities in this field, preserving strategic assets, and helping to prepare for the future of the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), which is set to replace the Typhoon as early as 2035.
