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Austria sued Airbus and the Eurofighter consortium, including
Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Leonardo, in February,
alleging deception and fraud linked to a near 2 billion euro
($2.3 billion) jet order in 2003. Airbus and the consortium have
denied the accusations.
The charges were the latest in a series of rows between Austria
and the consortium, which have sparked two parliamentary
inquiries and resulted in Airbus boss Tom Enders being
investigated by Vienna prosecutors.
The defense ministry said in a statement that Austria's 15
Eurofighter jets could be phased out from 2020. The continued
use of the Eurofighter planes for 30 years - the normal life
span of such jets - would cost up to 5 billion euros.
Buying and operating a new fleet comprised of 15 single-seater
and three twin-seater supersonic jets over the same period could
be 2 billion euros cheaper than continuing its current program,
the ministry said.
"It is necessary to get a grip on the overflowing costs of the
Eurofighter," Defence Minister Hans Peter Doskozil said.
The ministry said it had already been in touch with other
governments, air forces and aircraft producers.
Austria prefers a government-to-government deal that would see
Vienna lease the aircraft from another country, rather than
organizing a tender that would take much longer and might
jeopardize the 2020-2023 timeframe for the change of fleet.
Such a government-to-government deal could involve the other
country buying the jets from one of its national producers whose
planes have self-defense systems, radar-guided missiles and can
operate at night and at supersonic speed.
The tranche 1 type of the Eurofighter jets which Austria uses is
also in operation in Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.
(Reporting by Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Mark Potter)
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