Green demand transparency in the billion dollar jet deal for Austria

Green demand transparency in the billion dollar jet deal for Austria

Vienna, Österreich - Austria plans to buy twelve Leonardo M-346FA Unterschalle jets, which are to replace the Saab 105 decommissioned in 2020. However, this procurement process has led to violent criticism of the Greens. Defense spokesman David Stögmüller mainly criticizes the lack of an international tender, which in his opinion questions the transparency of the procedure. He describes the decision for the M-346fa, which is considered a "luxury jet" as questionable and blames a high purchase price of around one billion euros, which is more than twice as high in comparison to similar models that were purchased by countries such as Poland and Nigeria.

The Greens call for complete information about the deal and complain the lack of clear technical requirements, in particular with regard to the need for combat equipment and air refueling. Stögmüller also points out internal criticism in the Ministry of Defense and warns of possible moments of corruption. In this context, the Greens have handed over internal documents to the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKSTA) in order to make the processes more transparent. The Ministry of Defense, in turn, denies the allegations and emphasizes that all procurement guidelines have been observed while the costs and equipment of the jets are still being negotiated.

criticism and political steps

With a view to process intaring, Stögmüller has made comparisons to the Eurofighter debacle and now demands that Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner discloses all facets of the deal. In addition, parliamentary steps are planned to include inquiries to the Ministry of Defense and Justice as well as the financial power in order to make the basis for the decision. The role of the Leonardo Group is also to be discussed in international work with Italian MPs.

In the context of the current procurement debate, the defense department recently submitted two reports that address Austria's sobering ability to defend it and were noted by various political parties, including the ÖVP, FPÖ, Greens and Neos. The annual report 2023 of the procurement test commission (BPK) certifies transparency for procurement processes. The Commission has been set up to ensure the right -wing implementation of such procedures.

conclusions and future steps

The M-346FA Jets are to arrive in Austria between 2027 and 2029 and are used for the training of pilots as well as to support the land forces and airspace defense. However, the equipment options with weapon systems are still unclear. The political discussion about the procurement and the associated financial implications is therefore continued, while the Department of Defense is working on an improved military budget that is supported by the state defending law that came into force in early 2023.

For more information you can report the reports from vienna.at , OTS and Parlament.gv.at Call up.