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The Austrian Air Force is seeking a replacement for the Saab 105 jet trainer.
VIENNA—Austria plans to decide soon on its future air force training needs.
The service has been hunting for a replacement for the Saab 105 jet trainer, which it operated for about 50 years prior to retiring the platforms in 2020.
The process to identify the replacement platform is now in its final stage, Maj. Gen. Gerfried Promberger, the Austrian Air Force chief, tells Aviation Week. “Once the evaluation report has been completed and the last items by the audit team cleared up, we will hopefully move forward with this procurement,” he says. “I hope that the minister of defense will make this decision in a timely manner,” Promberger adds.
Austria has indicated it plans to acquire a dozen new trainers. The competition involves the T-7 that Boeing is developing in cooperation with Saab, the Leonardo M-346FA and the L-39N from Czech aircraft-maker Aero Vodochody. “One aircraft meets 50% of the performance, another meets 75% and one meets 100%,” the air chief said, without tipping his hands on how the contenders have ranked.
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