Italy faces GCAP warplane price tag topping $21 billion

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 histor…