There are seven “strategic” programs for Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini. Already financed from the budget fund provided for by the 2021 budget law, with high technological, industrial and international cooperation value. The minister underlined this in a hearing before the Chamber and Senate Defense committees, chaired by Gianluca Rizzo and Roberta Pinotti. Investments, added the minister, “able to act as a potential accelerator” on much wider sectors of the economy: “Digital, ecological transition, energy efficiency and health“.
In 15 years, investments of 26.5 billion
Guerini tells parliamentarians about the DPP (multi-year planning document) for the three-year period 2021-2023 just published by his department. The plan provides for 115 programs in operation and another 85 to start up in the three-year period for a total amount of 26.5 billion over the next 15 years. The minister reiterates: “Defense is able to facilitate the accessibility of the rich load of innovation deriving from its programs for the benefit of the entire entrepreneurial fabric”. An action founded “also by seizing, in the context of the NRP, the opportunities for partnerships with other departments” as is already the case for digitization and cyber security “as well as synergies between public and private stakeholders” on next generation advanced technologies.
The seven programs
The minister highlights the seven military programs considered “particularly strategic”. The Tempest, a sixth generation fighter aircraft. The “Defense Cloud” for Defense. The “Amphibious armored vehicle”. The “Modernization, Renewal and Strengthening of the national air and missile defense capability” project and the “Radar for missile systems” ”. The “New Destroyer” for the Navy and the “Infantry Combat System” for the Army. Programs in partnership with allied countries but also fundamental for national industry, from Fincantieri to Leonardo and Iveco just to name a few.
The bet on funds
Guerini acknowledges to deputies and senators that through the Fund for the implementation of multi-year investment programs for Defense, provided for by the 2021 Budget Law, “the strategic and driving value of the Defense industry has been recognized by Parliament for the entire economy of the country “. Now, adds the minister, “the objective is to support the Fund’s supply in order to make it the main instrument for supporting the modernization of the Armed Forces”. The Fund, in his opinion, is “functional and consistent with the drive required of us towards ever greater investments in research and innovation”. And he remembers: “The defense industry already today, in response to requests from the Armed Forces, dedicates as much as 10% of its resources to research, development and innovation, against a general average of the country equal to about 1% “.
The intersection between military projects and other sectors
The theme of positive effects on the national economy is explained by Guerini in an extended way. It remains fundamental, of course, to strengthen the national military industry in a changed framework of international geostrategies, with Europe called to strengthen after the repositioning of the United States, especially in the Asian area starting from Afghanistan. But the owner of the Defense also emphasizes the “synergies between Defense and industry, small and medium-sized enterprises in the supply chains and start-ups”. Up to “potential exchanges with civil sectors that can be incubators of technological innovation, for the benefit of every production sector in the country”.