이탈리아, P-1 초계기 도입 검토

[위종민]

이탈리아가 GCAP을 공동으로 추진중인 일본의 P-1 대잠초계기 도입을 검토하네요. 루카 고레티 이탈리아 공군 참모총장이 지난 금요일 기자들과의 인터뷰에서 해상초계능력 공백을 메울 방안에 대한 질문에 P-1이 가능한 옵션 중 하나라고 대답했다고 합니다. 

이탈리아는 2017년 아틀랜틱 초계기를 퇴역시킨 뒤 해공군 합동으로 ATR-72 해상초계기 4대를 운영중입니다. 

Italy looks to fighter friend Japan for a new maritime-patrol plane

Italy looks to fighter friend Japan for a new maritime-patrol plane

Italy looks to fighter friend Japan for a new maritime-patrol plane

By Tom Kington

 Saturday, Mar 29, 2025

A Kawasaki P-1 patrol aircraft of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force launches anti-missile flares during a fleet review off Sagami Bay, Kanagawa prefecture, in 2015. (Toru Yamanaka/AFP via Getty Images)

ROME — Italy is considering buying the Japanese Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft to tackle hostile submarines in the Mediterranean, a move which would break an Italian tradition of U.S. aircraft purchases and strengthen ties with Tokyo.

“The P-1 is is one of the possible options available,” Italian Air Force chief Luca Goretti told reporters on Friday when asked how Italy aimed to fill gaps in its maritime patrol capability.

“We have a great relationship with Japan,” he added.

A four engine platform designed from scratch as a maritime patrol aircraft, the P-1 has been in service in Japan since 2013. While export efforts to date have not been successful, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force now operates 33 aircraft.

As Italy retired the last of its long serving Atlantique maritime patrol planes in 2017 it acquired ATR 72′s jointly built by Airbus and local firm Leonardo to fill the role, operated by mixed Air Force and Navy crews.

But while offering electronically scanned radar, the aircraft lacked anti-submarine warfare capabilities and were only considered a gap filler.

A new purchase to fill that gap would coincide with renewed naval activity in the Mediterranean by friendly and hostile powers.

Acquiring the P-1 instead of the US P-8 aircraft would follow years in which Italy has looked to the U.S. for imported aircraft including B767 tankers, C-130s, Gulfstream sensor aircraft, F-35s and Reaper drones.

Italy has recently boosted ties with Japan as the two countries team with the U.K. on the GCAP sixth-generation fighter program.

In 2023, Leonardo also pitched its M-346 jet trainer to Japan to replace Tokyo’s Kawasaki T-4 trainers after Japanese pilots were dispatched to train on the M-346 in Italy.

In an address to the Italian parliament about the GCAP program on March 13, Air Force chief Goretti said working with Japan on the sixth-generation jet was prompting discussion about other possible team-ups.

“Right now there is an Italian delegation in Japan because there are other chances for growth with (Japan) including the development of a trainer for them as well as a joint patrol aircraft,” he said. “Our collaboration has opened other horizons which were unthinkable until very recently,” he added.

Goretti’s suggestion of an Italian jet trainer deal with Japan and a Japanese patrol aircraft deal with Italy hinted at a possible trade-off which recalls how Italy sold the M-346 to Israel in 2012 in return for buying Israeli sensor-laden Gulfstreams and an Israeli surveillance satellite.

List of active Italian military aircraft - Wikipedia

List of active Italian military aircraft - Wikipedia

[백선호]

M346 이스라엘에 팔며 이스라엘로부터 G550 CAEW 도입했던 것과 비슷하게 주고 받겠네요.

[위종민]

설마 진짜 성사될까 싶긴 합니다 ㅎㅎㅎ

[ssn688]

초계기 자체만이 아닌 국가간의 관계(트럼프라든가... GCAP라든가...)가 얽히긴 했지만, 사업 자체만 보면 바닥에 묻은 가래침(...)이 싫다고 똥밭으로 뛰어드는 듯합니다. (먼 산)

[위종민]

하고 많은 물건 중 굳이 P-1을...

[강준구]

신나게 P-1 검토하고, 결국 영국처럼 P-8을 도입하게 되지 않을까요? 차라리 C-2가 더 어필링하지 않을까 싶습니다.

[위종민]

당연히 A400 운영중인 줄 알았는데 없네요. 말씀대로 차라리 C-2를 검토해보는 게...