Italy is set to expand its order of F-35 fighter jets, with plans to procure an additional 25 aircraft, according to the newly released Multi-Year Defense Program Document submitted to Parliament.
This expansion will bring Italy’s total order from 90 to 115 aircraft, consisting of a mix of F-35A and F-35B variants, a decision that has drawn significant political debate.
The decision to increase the F-35 fleet comes at a time when Italy is ramping up its military spending.
“The choice to add 25 more F-35s for an additional cost of €7 billion is contrary to all logic,” said Marco Pellegrini and Bruno Marton, parliamentary leaders of the 5-Star Movement, in a joint statement. “This decision appears to be driven by a desire to please Washington and Lockheed Martin, despite the aircraft being technologically outdated and already surpassed by sixth-generation fighter programs like Tempest-Gcap.”
Critics argue that Italy’s participation in the Tempest program, a collaborative effort to develop a sixth-generation fighter alongside the UK and Japan, makes the F-35 less relevant to the future of Italy’s air defense strategy.
Despite the criticism, the Italian government maintains that the F-35 program is crucial to the modernization of the Italian Armed Forces, ensuring that Italy remains a strong NATO ally capable of operating alongside the most advanced air forces in the world.