Guerini in London: "Tempest program strategic value for the country"

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The Minister of Defense Lorenzo Guerini, visiting London, met with the UK Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace. The meeting, after the one that took place last June 11 aboard Cavour ship of our Navy, has allowed the two defense chiefs to discuss "at 360 degrees" the international situation and industrial collaboration between the two countries. During the meeting - underlines a note from the Defense - the significant level of understanding reached in industrial cooperation was reiterated which, said Minister Guerini, "it must remain at the center of our relationship, given the promising opportunities it offers for our respective industrial sectors and to increase our synergies at the operational level. Italy and the UK have a long tradition of cooperation in the defense sector. Italy considers the partnership with UK strategic for the future of their respective industries, in particular for the development of Tempest program and other cooperation programs ". “For Italy the program Tempest it has strategic value due to its high technological content and is the subject of important investments in this context. I believe it is essential that cooperation in the defense industry between our countries is strengthened through a full and equal partnership, a balanced sharing of technologies and know-how, in order to make Tempest the new reference model for the aerospace industry and for future international collaborations".

During the talks, other cooperation programs were also discussed, particularly rich in terms of technological innovation in valuable sectors such as that of missile systems, which see collaboration between the respective industrial excellences, MBDA IT e MBDAUK. Still on the subject of cooperation in the operational sector, the Ministers shared the opportunity to develop, already in the next few months, interactions also between the aircraft carriers of the two navies, both equipped with aircraft. F35, the Minister stated "I believe it is an unmissable opportunity to test our ability to work jointly in a strategic sector". There was no lack of a comparison on the developments in Afghanistan. . Italy collaborated closely with the United Kingdom and other partner countries in the evacuation of our compatriots and Afghan citizens from Kabul. The two ministers agreed on the need to reflect on the matter NATO, on the lessons learned in Afghanistan and their possible applications in the region, with particular reference to the Alliance Mission in Iraq, of which Italy will assume command in the spring of 2022. On the London day, moreover, during the visit to the DSEI extension (Defense and Security Equipment International) the Minister visited the stands of the Italian companies operating in the defense and security sector present at the international exhibition.

Tempest - prototype

TEMPEST PROGRAM

The Minister of Defense Lorenzo Guerini, the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace and Sweden Peter Hultqvist, signed on 21 December last, a trilateral agreement for the development of the new one Tempest weapon system, crucial for the balance of military and industrial capabilities at European and global level.

The agreement, called Future Combat Air System Cooperation MoU (Memorandum of Understanding), governs the general principles for an equal collaboration between the three countries and concerns all activities including research, development and joint concepting necessary for governments to make the choice ofacquisition of an advanced aircraft system to replace the Eurofighter. The agreement will be followed by the Project Arrangements and the Full Development phase, currently scheduled to start in 2025.

The Tempest program is among the defense priority programs. In Multiannual Planning Document - DPP -, presented to the Parliament, a first important line of financing for the Italian participation in Tempest has been clearly identified within the program Euro Fighter, to allow the concrete start of activities, through the so-called transition "Typhoon to storm".

The F-2000 Program (Eurofighter) foresees 742 million euros, to which will be added quotas for a further 760 million euros to be sought in the context of consolidated synergies at the intergovernmental level and in close collaboration with the industry - guaranteeing full satisfaction of the requirement of national competence for the R&D phase, carried out jointly with UK and Sweden.

Il FCASC MoU, signed among the only European nations that know, produce and already use 5 generation aeronautical technologies, a necessary basis for the construction of future aircraft, will allow to enhance the national industry, guaranteeing the growth of know-how in a prestigious sector such as that of technologies enabling sixth generation aircraft. In this context, a further factor of economic growth for the country will be represented by the involvement of small and medium-sized national enterprises and the Tempest program will be able to pour out its beneficial effects also on the employment aspect in the defense industry sector, in the Centers. of Research and Universities.

Still in the context of the construction of sixth generation aircraft, Italy considers it desirable, as well as other countries participating in both Tempest and the trilateral FCAS project (France, Germany and Spain), the opportunity to evaluate a possible convergence of the two programs over time. , to make the European product further competitive on a global scale, also in order not to risk the start of competition between European groups, which is not easily sustainable and which would probably risk benefiting other regional players with global capabilities, which are developing similar technologies.

PROGRAM FRANCO - GERMAN - SPANISH FACS

FACS - Future Air Combat System is France and Germany's program for a new fighter which Spain also joined later.

In 2018 France and Germany signed a contract to develop a joint weapon system, winning a first contract for a study project worth € 65 million (US $ 73 million) for Airbus and Dassault, 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.

Guerini in London: "Tempest program strategic value for the country"