The Italian government has earmarked $10.38 billion of its 2024 budget of $23.3 billion for defense procurement, up 16.8 percent from 2023.
According to Defense News, the budget provides $7.8 billion to acquire 15 F-35As and 10 F-35Bs, bringing Italy’s F-35 fleet to 115 aircraft. The report said the Italian Air Force will operate the new F-35As and split the incoming F35Bs with the Italian Navy.
The budget document also showed a $565 million contribution in 2024 to the Global Combat Air Program to develop a sixth-generation fighter aircraft in partnership with the United Kingdom and Japan. The new Italian spending for GCAP increased from the $302 million allotment in 2023.
For its 2024 Eurofighter program, Rome allocated $770 million to initiate the acquisition of 24 fourth-tranche jets, which will replace its 26 first-tranche aircraft scheduled for a 2029 phaseout. Another aircraft procurement, which falls under the $545 million spending on new programs, calls for starting in 2024 the purchase of 15 Leonardo M-346 trainer jets for the Italian Air Force’s aerobatic team.