Unless a decision is made almost immediately, Austria’s Air Force faces a potentially catastrophic gap in its future fighter pilot training capability by the end of this year.

Choosing a replacement for its 40-year old Saab 105OE trainer aircraft has become a matter of urgency. The nation’s primary combat aircraft — the Eurofighter Typhoon — has been the subject of immense political wrangling and compromise, resulting in only 15 aircraft being procured against the original requirement for 24.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that combat aircraft such as the Typhoon require a modern lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) — which the Saab aircraft most decidedly is not. The current state of Austrian politics dictates that the procurement of a new aircraft is probably out of the question, and Defense Minister Norbert Darabos is on record as stating that he is seeking cheaper solutions — perhaps surplus aircraft such as the Czech L-159 or CASA F-5M.

But neither of these aircraft will deliver acceptable levels of capability to student pilots who will transition to the ultra-modern Typhoon. Surplus aircraft are surplus, in most cases, because their capabilities have been outlived.

The alternative, leasing trainers via the multinational Advanced European Jet Pilot Training (AEJPT) scheme, is problematic because that program is mired in requirements harmonization issues and decision deferral.

Britain withdrew from AEJPT at an early stage, preferring to focus its LIFT efforts on the Hawk Mk128 Advanced Jet Trainer. Other nations have also sought alternative arrangements. Finland has procured Hawks from Switzerland and is offering training time on them to third parties. Greece continues to pay lip service to the AEJPT concept but is also seeking an alternative.

Somebody, somewhere, needs to slice through the Gordian knot of indecision and promote a solution that speaks to filling urgent capability gaps and setting European LIFT training on the road to a secure future. AEJPT may be the answer, but only if agreement on program requirements is reached immediately.

Meanwhile, the air forces of nations such as Austria and Greece face a struggle to match the limitations of antiquated trainers with the high-end capabilities of their modern jet fighters, a situation that could result in negative training.