Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Leonardo Signs Contract to Supply Austria 12 M-346F Block 20 Light Fighters

The deal pairs a light‑fighter upgrade with a full training and support package to bolster Austria’s air policing.

Overview

  • The order provides 12 aircraft in the new Block 20 light‑fighter standard plus simulators, spares, ground equipment and six years of post‑delivery maintenance support.
  • Austria estimates the total package at about €1.5 billion with a stated unit price of €80 million per aircraft covering armament, training and sustainment.
  • Block 20 introduces two large area displays per cockpit, a low‑profile HUD, a new HMD and, on the F variant, an AESA radar with expanded air‑to‑air and air‑to‑ground weapon integration.
  • Italian defense documents for the package cite Link 16 and IRIS‑T integration, Nexter NC621 gun pods, LAU‑32 rocket launchers and Elbit SPEAR AECM pods.
  • The contract follows a December 2024 letter of intent and a May 2025 government‑to‑government accord, includes options for 12 more jets and features industrial cooperation expected to yield about €400 million in Austrian orders.