The head of the executive, Giuseppe Conte, said during the press conference at the end of the year that “our soldiers are a flag of Italy. They operate effectively, and with appreciation, abroad, and stand out for humanity in their relations with local communities. I want to extend an affectionate personal embrace to all of them, from my government, from all of Italy, and a heartfelt wish for a happy new year ", added the Prime Minister who, on the technical evaluation of the F35, postponed" the outcome of the evaluation ”Underway by the Minister of Defense, Elisabetta Trenta. "This government, at present," Conte concluded, "has not spent a single euro on the F35s: that is a particular, framework contract, which provides for a certain flexibility".
“The technical evaluation started on the F35 fighter program is still in progress. As repeated several times by the Government, a dialogue with the US is a priority, but what is certain is that the program will be revised, in compliance with the commitments made ”. This is what Defense sources report. The outcome of the assessment is expected in the first months of 2019.
The most ardent supporter of the program is the Undersecretary of Defense, Angelo Tofalo, which rehabilitated the technology of the F-35 fighters, until a few months ago “not really appreciated” by the Five Star Movement.
"In Italy - said Undersecretary Tofalo - in these years, it has been spoken in a distorted manner. The F-35 program, which is now on and there is more than 20 years, unlike what often someone said, is an airplane that has excellent technology, perhaps the best in the world at the moment. It is normal that we have to do some calculations, both from an economic and a technological point of view. But it is obvious - concluded the exponent of M5S - that we can not give up a great air capacity for our Air Force, which, even today, puts us ahead of other countries ".