Cost of Italian F-35s revealed

Sixty Italian companies have received around USD1 billion worth of orders related to the F-35 programme, according General Dominico Esposito, director of the Air Armaments Directorate at the Italian Ministry of Defence.

The figure was revealed in an interview with Gen Esposito published by the Italian Ministry of Defence on 11 July.

Gen Esposito said: "the level of industrial return is in line with current low-rate initial production phase. Current data shows that we have achieved [contracts] worth more than USD1 billion from a total development and production programme worth about USD14.7 billion."

This represents approximately 76% of the total value of Italy's investment in the F-35 programme to date, he added.


Source: Matthew Smith, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly News - 15 June 2013

Photo: The Italian Air Force F-35 Fighter Aircraft (Photo by Flickr/mashleymorgan)


(4.01.2014)