Italy approves purchase of 90 F-35s

In good news for the F-35 program, Italy's Senate voted to approve the purchase of 90 F-35s:

A majority of Italy's Senate approved the plans to buy F-35 jet fighters in a vote Tuesday but said future purchases should be approved by parliament. The controversial purchase passed by a vote of 202 in favour, 55 opposed and 15 abstentions. Having already passed the same vote in the Lower House, the purchase plans are now final. 

What that means, of course, is a) Italy will be a valuable ally in the future with its own fleet of 5th generation jets and the interoperability that comes with them, and b) more immediately, with this order they will help produce those economies of scale that has been talked about and make the F-35 less costly for everyone.

Graff