 During 1938, the Italian Air Ministry launched "Programme R", a comprehensive effort targeted towards the enactment of several improvements, both qualitative and qualitative, throughout the "Regia Aeronautica" (Italian Air Force).At the time, those fighter aircraft under consideration for their potential adoption had either already reached the prototype phase of development (such as the Fiat G.50 and the Macchi C.200) or were within advanced stages of development (like the Aeronautica Umbra Trojani AUT.18 and the Caproni Vizzola F.5).However, only one aircraft, designated as the Re 2000 by Italian aircraft manufacturer Reggiane, was intentionally designed with the intention of competing for orders under Programme R in mind.