On Saturday, 29 November 2025, the Austrian Ministry of Defence concluded a 1.5 billion EUR contract with the Italian government and Leonardo for the delivery of 12 Leonardo M-346FA (Fighter Attack) advanced trainer and light combat aircraft, which will fill the gap left by the Saab 105Ö trainer and reconnaissance aircraft withdrawn in 2020. The offer was submitted on 27 August 2024, and the selection took place on 28 December of the same year.
Photos: Alessandro Maggia via Leonardo
“The Austrian Armed Forces are purchasing 12 Leonardo M-346 aircraft as a replacement for the Saab 105. The contract was concluded with Italy, with a unit price of 80 million euros. The overall package, including armament, ammunition, maintenance and training, amounts to 1.5 billion euros. The aircraft will be delivered starting in 2028. Part of the package is an industrial cooperation valued at 400 million euros,” wrote spokesperson of the Austrian Ministry of Defence, Michael Bauer, on X.
The decision by Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner to select the Italian offer was made in accordance with the recommendations of the Chief of the General Staff (Chef des Generalstabes des Bundesheeres), Gen. Rudolf Striedinger. The budgetary resources required for the purchase were approved as early as 2022 within the framework of the multi-year financial plan and the ÖBH 2032+ development programme.
The Leonardo M-346FA will be used by the Austrian Armed Forces for pilot training, supporting ground forces and airspace defence. They will be stationed at Vogler Air Base in Linz-Hörsching.
On 11 December 2020, the last of 18 Saab 105Ö trainer and reconnaissance aircraft (out of the 40 originally procured, in service since July 1970) were withdrawn from service in the Austrian Air Force (Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte) without a direct successor being designated. They served for 50 years, logging 156,500 flying hours and completing around 254,000 missions. A total of 167 pilots were trained on them.
On 6 December 2018, the local newspaper Die Presse reported on the then government’s plans concerning the future of the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 1 multirole fighters and the Saab 105Ö. The M-346 Master was already indicated at that time as one of the favourites to replace the latter. Another option was to forgo a successor entirely and unify the fleet.
It is worth noting that counteroffers for Austria were expected from Czech company AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE with the next-generation advanced trainer L-39 Skyfox, as well as from the American Boeing together with Sweden’s Saab Defence and Security offering the T-7A Red Hawk.
In August 2024, Austrian cadets began training at the International Flight Training School (IFTS) at the Italian Air Force Base in Galatina, using Italian T-346A advanced trainer aircraft (the military designation of the M-346 Master).
M-346FA
According to the Italian company Leonardo, the M-346FA can be used in close air support missions for ground forces (CAS – Close Air Support), including digital CAS (CAS-D), air policing / national airspace defense, interception of slow-flying targets, airborne forward air control for ground targets (FAC-A – Forward Air Support – Airborne), combat search and rescue missions (CSAR – Combat Search and Rescue), interdiction, including battlefield air interdiction (BAI – Battlefield Air Interdiction), tactical air support for maritime operations (TASMO – Tactical Air Support for Maritime Operations), as well as reconnaissance (RECCE).
The M-346FA debuted at the Paris Air Show held on 19–25 June 2017 as an evolution of the M-346FT (Fighter Trainer). It received a mechanically scanned multimode Grifo-M-346 radar (a variant of the Grifo-S), operating in several modes, including SAR and ISAR (Inverse Synthetic-Aperture Radar), as well as the Praetorian DASS (Defensive Aids Sub-System) self-defense suite.
The M-346FA has seven weapon hardpoints with a total payload capacity of 3,000 kg (with a maximum take-off weight of 9,700 kg), and the manufacturer offers integration with IRIS-T and AIM-9L/X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, Brimstone air-to-ground missiles, Marte ER anti-ship missiles, as well as Mark 82 Snake Eye unguided bombs, GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II, Paveway IV, Lizard 2+ and Lizard 4 laser-guided bombs, GPS-guided GBU-38 and Lizard 4 bombs, as well as rocket and cannon pods.
The crew has access to the Link-16 data link, Helmet Mounted Displays (HMD), reconnaissance, target designation and electronic warfare systems. The M-346FA also benefits from all the advanced features of the M-346 trainer version, including integration into a live-virtual-constructive (LVC) environment, i.e. training that combines real and virtual assets. This includes cooperation between a real aircraft in flight and ground simulators, with the involvement of virtual friendly and adversary forces, allowing pilots to train in highly complex tactical scenarios (Leonardo has presented an advanced cockpit for the M-346 Block 20).
The aircraft is capable of flying combat air patrols with full weapons load for 2 hours and 40 minutes at a distance of up to 185 km from its home base. For reconnaissance missions, with two additional fuel tanks, a reconnaissance pod and two air-to-air missiles for self-defense, the range increases to 890 km, and in both cases in-flight refueling is possible to further extend endurance and flight range.
The first M-346FA aircraft, designated by the manufacturer as M-346LFFA (Light Fighter Family of Aircraft), will be delivered to Turkmenistan (6 units, including 4 M-346FA and 2 M-346DR/FT) and Azerbaijan. Among former potential customers was Nigeria. Currently, Brazil has expressed interest.
Das #Bundesheer kauft 12 Leonardo-M-346 Flugzeuge als Nachfolge für die Saab 105. Der Vertrag wurde mit Italien abgeschlossen, der Stückpreis liegt bei 80 Mio. Euro. Das Gesamtpaket inklusive Bewaffnung, Munition, Wartung und Ausbildung liegt bei 1,5 Mrd. Geliefert werden die…
— Michael Bauer (@Bundesheerbauer) November 29, 2025
Beautiful 3D renders of Leonardo M346FA jets of Austrian Air Force.
Austria has signed a G2G agreement with Italy for the forniture of twelve M346FA with: 20mm gun pod, LAU32 rocket launcher, SPEAR EACM EW pod, Link 16 NATO tactical datalink and IRIS-T advanced Air to Air missile pic.twitter.com/8efbAuMvGK— Ciro Nappi (@CiroNappi6) November 29, 2025
See also:
