The future effectiveness of the air force will be decided at the negotiating table today. It concerns four major projects – worth almost 8 billion euros.
During the holidays you will lose some money: within a few days, the Department of Defense under Klaudia Tanner listed four major investments. They all take place in the air.
- Last Sunday were twelve new UH-60 Black Hawk transport helicopters ordered in the US. It is the 3,500 hp M variant, which can bring more than three tons of material or eleven soldiers with equipment into action reasonably protected. Size: 715 million euros.
- In mid-July, the purchase of the aircraft was announced at the Farnborough Air Show in Great Britain. four pieces C-390M Transport aircraft signed. The intention is that they will replace the very outdated and error-prone C-130K ‘Hercules’ from mid-2028. Size: 1 billion euros.
- Yesterday, Tuesday, the ÖVP and the Greens negotiated on the question of whether the monumental sum of over 4.4 billion euros should be reserved from the 2027 budget via an advance tax law. And for a brand new Long-range air defense (range: more than 50 km)which has never existed in the history of the armed forces. It is still unclear which system it is exactly. The decision will probably be between the American product ‘Patriot’ and the Israeli ‘Arrow 3’.
- And then there are those long awaited jet trainerwhich are taking place in Linz-Hörsching. They are intended to replace the Saab 105OE, which was retired in 2020, and will protect the airspace and support ground troops in addition to the Eurofighter. The tender was initially supposed to be completed in the first quarter of 2024, but then dragged on until the summer because, according to information from “Krone”, the General Staff still had to submit documents. The decision will be made in the coming weeks, the favorite is the Italian M-346FA. Volume: 1.6 billion euros including the conversion of the existing Eurofighter.
For airspace defense and air mobility alone, a total of almost eight billion euros. That is almost three times as much as the money the republic spent on the entire federal army before the war in Ukraine.
“The next milestone for our armed forces will soon be reached,” said Secretary Tanner. “I am pleased that we can make such a big leap forward with replacement and new procurement!”
In any case, it is no longer a summer like before the Ukraine war.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
