On Saturday, December 28, 2024, the Austrian Ministry of Defense announced the selection of the Italian offer, consisting of 12 Leonardo M-346FA (Fighter Attack) training and combat aircraft, which will fill the gap left by the retirement of the Saab 105Ö training, combat, and reconnaissance aircraft in 2020. The offer was submitted on August 27 of this year, according to the information disclosed at that time by Minister of Defense Klaudia Tanner.
Photos: Alessandro Maggia via Leonardo
The purchase will be carried out jointly with Italy under a Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement. The decision by Minister of Defense Klaudia Tanner was made in accordance with the recommendations of the Chief of the General Staff (Chef des Generalstabes des Bundesheeres) General Rudolf Striedinger (Contract for 12 UH-60M for Austria).
The budgetary funds required for the purchase have already been planned and approved in 2022 as part of the multi-year financial outlook and the ÖBH 2032+ development plan. The agreement is currently being negotiated with the Italian government.
An important part of the negotiations is also the involvement of the Austrian economy through necessary industrial cooperation to bring added value to Austria and strengthen the domestic industry.
“This cooperation is further proof of the good collaboration and friendship between Italy and Austria. My special thanks go to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who made a significant contribution to the conclusion of this agreement,” said Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner: “With the purchase of the jets, we are closing a significant capability gap in our air forces. This not only brings the training of our pilots back to 100 percent in Austria, but it also significantly strengthens our airspace defense. This increases the protection of Austria, the Austrian population, and our neutrality against threats from the air.”
“This decision is a positive conclusion for the Vogler Air Base in Linz-Hörsching and also for the state of Upper Austria, marking a very good start to the new year 2025 after the challenging year of 2024. With the purchase of new jets to replace the Saab 105 fleet, the air base’s military relevance is strengthened. This will permanently enhance the location and secure many high-quality jobs for decades,” said Governor Thomas Stelzer, expressing his satisfaction with the purchasing decision.
The Leonardo M-346FA will be used in the Austrian Armed Forces for pilot training, supporting ground forces, and airspace defense.
https://twitter.com/Bundesheerbauer/status/1872885194476212291
On December 11, 2020, the last of the 18 Saab 105Ö training and combat aircraft, originally 40 units acquired and in service since July 1970, were retired from service in the Austrian Air Force (Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte), without an immediate successor being specified. They served for 50 years, flying a total of 156,500 hours and completing around 254,000 missions. A total of 167 pilots were trained on them.
On December 6, 2018, the local newspaper Die Presse reported on the plans of the then government regarding the future of the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 1 multi-role fighter jets and the Saab 105Ö. Among the favorites for the successor to the latter was already the M-346 Master. Another option was to forgo a successor and standardize the fleet.
It is worth adding that counteroffers for Austria were to be submitted by Czech AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE with the next-generation advanced training aircraft L-39NG Albatros, and American Boeing in collaboration with Swedish Saab Defence and Security with the T-7A Red Hawk.
As reported in August, Austrian cadets have already begun training at the International Flight Training School (IFTS) at the Italian airbase in Galatina on Italian advanced training aircraft, the T-346A (military designation M-346 Master).
M-346FA
As reported by the Italian company Leonardo, the M-346FA can be used in close air support missions for ground forces (CAS – Close Air Support), including with digital support (CAS-D), air policing/defending airspace, intercepting slow-moving targets, directing air-to-ground strikes (FAC-A – Forward Air Control – Airborne), combat search and rescue missions (CSAR – Combat Search and Rescue), interdiction, including battlefield interdiction (BAI – Battlefield Air Interdiction), tactical air support for maritime operations (TASMO – Tactical Air Support for Maritime Operations), and reconnaissance (RECCE).
The M-346FA made its debut at the Paris Air Show from June 19 to 25, 2017, as an evolution of the M-346FT (Fighter Trainer). It is equipped with the mechanically scanning multimode Grifo-M-346 radar (the Grifo-S variant), operating in several modes, including SAR and ISAR (Inverse Synthetic-Aperture Radar), as well as the Preatorian DASS (Defensive Aids Sub-System) self-defense system.
The M-346FA is equipped with seven hardpoints with a total payload capacity of 3,000 kg (with a maximum takeoff weight of 9,700 kg), and the manufacturer offers integration with air-to-air missiles such as the IRIS-T and AIM-9L/X Sidewinder, air-to-ground missiles like the Brimstone, Marte ER anti-ship missiles, as well as unguided Mark 82 Snake Eye bombs, laser-guided bombs including the GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II, Paveway IV, Lizard 2+, and Lizard 4, GPS-guided bombs like the GBU-3 and Lizard 4, and pods for unguided rockets and guns.
The crew has access to a Link-16 data exchange link, Helmet Mounted Displays (HMD), target recognition, designation, and electronic warfare systems. The M-346FA also utilizes all the advanced features of the M-346 trainer version, including the ability to integrate in a live-virtual-constructive (LVC) environment, which involves training using a combination of real and virtual objects. This includes cooperation between a real aircraft in the air and simulators on the ground, with the inclusion of virtual friendly and enemy forces, thus enabling trained pilots to engage in very complex tactical scenarios.
The aircraft is capable of conducting combat patrols with a full weapon load for 2 hours and 40 minutes at a distance of up to 185 km from the home base. In the case of reconnaissance operations, with two additional fuel tanks, a reconnaissance pod, and two air-to-air missiles for self-defense, the range increases to 890 km. In both cases, aerial refueling is possible to further extend the range and endurance of the flight.
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 the intended users who will not be receiving the aircraft is Nigeria.
