Italy faces GCAP warplane price tag topping $21 billion

ROME — Italy’s outlay on the design and development of the tri-nation GCAP fighter has tripled from €6 billion to €18.6 billion — or from $7 billion to $21.8 billion — in the last five years, the country’s defense minister has told parliament. The announcement of the price hike came in a request to parliament to authorize the pay-out which prompted criticism from Italy’s opposition Five Star party. “This is the most expensive program in the history of the Italian military, overtaking the F-35 where €18 billion was spent on 90 aircraft,” Five Star parliamentarians said in a statement.

GCAP fighter jet designers push to keep weapons, drone options open Italy is a member alongside the U.K. and Japan of the sixth generation GCAP fighter team which aims to put a new jet into service by 2035. Th