 During 1938, work commenced at Reggiane on a new fighter design; the company's design team, which was headed by Roberto Longhi and Antonio Alessio, set about designing an aircraft that would be offered to the Air Ministry that would not only meet but exceed the requirements of Programme R. Having very little time, the company considered various options, including the potential for manufacturing an American-developed fighter aircraft under license, however, under the influence of aeronautical engineer Giovanni Battista Caproni, a completely new design was rapidly prepared.The design team took inspiration from the contemporary American fighter Seversky P-35, which Re.2000 would superficially resemble; according to aviation author Gianni Cattaneo, the design "displayed evidence of fairly strong American influence...certain structural characteristics were strongly reminiscent of the American school, particularly of the Seversky P-35".Refinement of the Re 2000's aerodynamic characteristics greatly benefitted from a series of wind tunnel tests held at Caproni's facility in Taliedo, Milan.