European defence prime Leonardo said it is not the subject of a judicial investigation in relation to the delivery of 28 Typhoon multi-role fighters to Kuwait hours after Kuwaiti news outlets reported the alleged misappropriation of public funds by military officers in relation to the programme.

In a statement released on January 25, Leonardo said that “as a result of some rumours” the company “intends to clarify that the Eurofighter programme is progressing in line with expectations… in terms of platform deliveries, milestones and cash collections.”

On January 24 the state-run Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported that the Kuwaiti cabinet was briefed on the referral of two senior army officers, including a major general, to the public prosecutor for “alleged misappropriation of public funds” in relation to the country’s contract for the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter.

The KUNA report said that Kuwait’s “Nazaha” anti-corruption authority reported the allegations after being notified by senior government officials in June last year.

The January 25 statement from Leonardo added: “Our contractual relationship with Kuwait has always been based on the principles of maximum transparency as well as full fairness and it is regulated by a contract signed as part of a broader relationship between the institutions and the aeronautics of the two countries.

“Leonardo has no evidence of issues and every single transaction is promptly subject to procedures and adequacy checks,” Leonardo stated.

Kuwait took delivery of the first two Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3A aircraft at the end of 2021, arriving in-country on December 14.