The president of 'AIAD (Italian Association of Defense Industry) Guido Crosetto was interviewed by Defense News on the French-German project of the fifth generation fighter, FACS - Future Air Combat System. According to Crosetto, the plans of France and Germany for the new fighter program they are an affront to Italy and will weaken the European Union. Recently, Spain has also joined the Franco-German program.A consequence of this new group, says Crosetto, would be for Italy to think of a closer approach to the United Kingdom, not its next exit from the EU.
"The agreement on the new fighter between Germany and France leaves all other EU countries on the sidelines. And since the only other country with equal industrial capacity is Italy, the agreement is clearly against Italy, "said the AIAD president.
"France and Germany have tried to involve Italy? asked the Defense News reporter, Tom Kingdom."It does not seem that way," said Crosetto. "Furthermore, if two European stakeholders conclude agreements together, how should others react? This risks weakening the EU, while at the same time giving more justification to those who try to weaken the EU ".
Last year, France and Germany signed a contract to win a joint fighter, winning a first contract for Airbus and Dassault for a € 65 million (US $ 73 million) study project, while Safran Aircraft Engines and MTU Aero Engines have announced a partnership to provide propulsion.
The FCAS program covers both manned and unmanned aircraft, and will enter into service from the 2040 to replace the French Rafale fighters and the Eurofighter currently supplied to the German Air Force.
Paris and Berlin are, however, looking for additional partners. Spain signed the 14 last February a Mou to become an equal partner of the program.
Crosetto then said that Italy would do well to get closer to the UK to work on the future British fighter known as Tempest.
"Also because the United Kingdom has asked us to join the Tempest".
Even the Undersecretary of State for Defense Angelo Tofalo he had declared in December that the country "had to immediately enter the Tempest program".
Crosetto then said he was not alarmed by the potential difficulty of doing business with the UK if and when he leaves the European customs union, which is expected to happen this year. The advantage for Italy is that the defense giant Leonardo-Finmeccanica already owns facilities in the United Kingdom and could easily work on the Tempest.
"Brexit would mean more bureaucracy for Leonardo, but it would not be a difficulty ", Said Crosetto.
Last month, the Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte he told Corriere della Sera to be shocked by France's offer to Germany to obtain a permanent seat at the UN Security Council, despite long-term plans in Europe to give a new seat to the EU, and not to a single country. "They seem to make fun of us"Said Conte.
In this regard, Crosetto added: "That offer of a UN seat is extremely important for the Franco-German agreement and goes well beyond defense agreements ".
The new Franco-German impetus suggests that the two countries will try to work together on joint programs to draw more funding from the new European Defense Fund; this could isolate Italy, extremely.
Crosetto therefore said that the Italian government is now obliged to invest with more conviction in the Italian defense industry to make it more competitive and be able to aspire to have more funding from the European Defense Fund: "The industry now needs the government to invest more".