Austria is buying 12 M-346F Block 20 light fighter jets from Italian defense contractor Leonardo as part of an overhaul of its air force, the Luftstreitkräfte. Austria already operates 15 Eurofighter Typhoons, which were acquired under controversial circumstances. These aircraft have very limited capabilities compared to other Typhoons, as well as high operating costs, which have prompted attempts to offload them.
Leonardo announced the contract with Austria today. In addition to the ten M-346s, the deal includes pilot simulation systems, maintenance technician training, spare parts and equipment, plus six years of logistics support. The total cost is about $1.7 billion, and the first plane is due to be delivered in 2028.
According to Leonardo, the Austrian Air Force will use the M-346F for “the defense needs of the airspace and national territory of Austria” as well as for training.
The two-seater M-346 was originally developed as an advanced trainer, but light combat versions have long been offered for sale. The standard Block 20 variants are particularly well equipped for aircraft of their size and weight. They come with a pair of Large Area Displays (LADs) in each cockpit, an Active Electronically Scanned Radar (AESA), a Link 16 data link and electronic countermeasures. The aircraft can be configured to use various air-to-air and air-to-surface weapon options, but can also be operated as pure trainers.
In the trainer role, the M-346Fs will serve as a successor to the Austrian Air Force’s Saab 105 aircraft, which were retired in 2020 and are seen in the video below.
The M-346 was developed by Leonardo as part of an integrated advanced flight training system. Beyond the aircraft themselves, it includes a Ground Training System (GBTS), which is based on the Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) concept. In this way, simulated elements and scenarios can be combined with real-life training flights.
Austria is already familiar with the M-346, as its pilots are already training on it at the International Flight Training School (IFTS), which Leonardo and the Italian Air Force jointly operate in Decimomannu, Italy.
According to Leonardo, the complete training system for Austria will include capabilities related to air-to-ground missions. This would be a new development for the Austrian Air Force, which is currently optimized for air defense.
It will also allow pilots to train for aerial refueling, something not previously featured in Alpine Air Force operations. It is worth noting here that the Luftstreitkräfte does not currently operate any tankers.
Most notably, however, in addition to advanced training, Austria will fly the M-346 in the “dual fighter role for low-intensity operations,” according to Leonardo.
M-346F Block 20-related images released to date include images of a demonstrator aircraft armed with AIM-9L/M Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missiles. It was also seen loaded with laser-guided bombs and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). Austria will reportedly integrate the IRIS-T infrared-guided air-to-air missile (already used on Typhoons), 20mm gun pods and LAU-32 seven-round rocket launchers for the M-346, as well as Israeli-made electronic countermeasures devices.
An M-346FA is pictured with MBDA MICA NG IR (centre) and MICA NG IR air-to-air missiles outside the Leonardo stand on the second day of the Farnborough International Airshow 2024. Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP JUSTIN TALLIS
While the now-retired Saab 105 had a limited air policing role, the capabilities of the M-346F mean that certain more extensive operational missions could be “offloaded” from the expensive Typhoon to the smaller, more economical aircraft.
Two Austrian Eurofighters join a Lufthansa Airbus A380 in formation over Austria in 2011. Federal Army/Markus Zinner
However, this would still be a significant boost to the Typhoon force, not least because Austria is a small country and the M-346F would be able to respond to most routine threats, particularly thanks to its AESA radar.
Furthermore, the Austrian Typhoons have no beyond visual range air-to-air missile armament, so the M-346Fs would not be at a weapons disadvantage either.
In fact, it could be argued that Austria ordered the M-346F or a similar light fighter rather than the Typhoon.
The Typhoon acquisition was far from straightforward. Austria selected the Eurofighter design over the Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen in 2002, but only finished paying the €2 billion ($2.3 billion at the time of writing) acquisition costs for the 15 single-seat aircraft (an order that was also reduced from the planned 18 aircraft) in 201. bribery, including a high-level lawsuit by the Ministry Defenses against Airbus and Eurofighter.
Overall, the Austrian Ministry of Defense was far from happy with the Typhoon. He questioned the plane’s operating costs and the lack of certain critical capabilities – including the PIRATE infrared sensor, a helmet-mounted display and the EuroDASS self-defense suite. As mentioned above, Austrian aircraft do not have beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and have no air-to-ground capability.
As early as 2017, Austria outlined plans to phase out the Typhoons by 2023, arguing that it would be cheaper than modernizing them. As these are basic Tier 1 aircraft, equipped to the most basic standard, it is much harder to upgrade them. At this time, it was envisaged that they would be replaced by 18 new fighters, which would also replace the Saab 105s.
More recently, efforts have been made to try to sell the Typhoons in Indonesia, as you can read here.
Somewhat ironically, in 2020 the Green Party of Austria called for the replacement of both the Typhoon and the Saab 105 with the M-346.
That TWZ noted at the time, “Austrian Typhoon pilots are already training on the M-346 in Italy, and in many ways it would appear to be an ideal replacement for the two-seat Saab. However, it lacks the raw performance and sophisticated avionics of a modern fighter, which would make it less suitable for the air police role now assumed by the Typhoon.”
An Austrian Typhoon pilot prepares for a mission. Federal Army
However, the M-346F Block 20 is a much more capable proposition in terms of avionics, although it remains subsonic.
As a non-aligned nation, Austria cannot rely on NATO support to defend its airspace, so it would be welcome to have additional and more economical light combat aircraft to help with this task.
The M-346 also has the advantage of an established user base and supply chains to go with it. As a trainer, existing customers for the M-346 include Greece, Italy, Israel, Poland, Qatar and Singapore. The Italian Air Force has also selected it as the future aircraft for its aerobatic team, the Frecce Tricolori.
An Israeli Air Force M-346 advanced trainer. Amit Agronov/Israeli Air Force
Leonardo, as part of a team with Textron of the United States, has also offered a navalized version of the M-346N to the US Navy as a possible replacement for that service’s T-45 Goshawk jet trainers. You can read more about the M-346N, which was rebranded as a Beechcraft product earlier this year, here. Beechcraft is a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron.
The only country known to have already introduced a light fighter version of the M-346 is Turkmenistan, which is said to have acquired only four M-346FA (Fighter Attack) versions, as well as two trainers. It is unclear exactly what types of weapons the country’s planes carry.
However, Nigeria now appears to be lining up to buy the M-346FA as well, with a potential deal for up to 24 of the aircraft said to be on display.
The purchase of the M-346 further cements the Austrian Ministry of Defense’s relationship with Leonardo, from which it previously purchased 36 AW169M light utility helicopters (LUH) under two contracts signed in 2022 and 2023.
An AW169M of the Austrian Armed Forces. Federal Army
The Austrian order and the possibility of a larger sale to Nigeria is good news for Leonardo, which continues to evolve the M-346 from an advanced jet trainer into an increasingly versatile multirole light fighter.
The overall market space for advanced jet-based light combat aircraft is growing steadily and globally. Korea Aerospace Industries has seen particular success with the FA-50 version of its T-50 trainer. The possibility of Boeing developing a light fighter based on the T-7 Redhawk for the US Air Force has also arisen in the past.
On the other hand, the Austrian Air Force is stuck with the Typhoon, something of an expensive white elephant when you consider that its primary mission is peacetime air policing over neutral airspace. Eventually, perhaps, the Typhoon could be retired without a direct replacement, leaving future M-346Fs to assume all frontline combat roles.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com