This paper provides a review of the status and of the perspectives of catalytic combustion for gas turbines. First the development activities of catalytic combustion systems carried out in the last few years are reported. Then the relevant characteristics of PdO supported catalysts and of transition metal-substituted hexaaluminates (HAs), that have been most extensively considered for this application, are addressed. Next the use of mathematical modelling as a tool for the design and analysis of catalytic combustors is discussed. Finally a novel fuel-rich approach to catalytic combustion is illustrated and the perspectives for this technology are briefly outlined. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.