“Loitering Munitions. The National Perspective”

(To CSE)
12/12/24

The seminar "Loitering Ammunition. The National Perspective", organized and curated by Army Study Center

The most recent news, from Ukraine to the Middle East, have imposed the Loitering Ammunition, in Italian "circulating munitions", to the attention of Armed Forces, professionals and industry all over the world: armed drones without a pilot, "suicide" or otherwise, which allow to hit fixed and moving targets, are weapons systems now widely used not only in the so-called "asymmetric" warfare by irregular formations, but also in conventional conflicts between modern armies.

As General Salvatore Farina, president of the CSE, recalled in his opening remarks, the key words are "economy" and "technology": such weapon systems in fact require planning and investment for industrial-scale production, to limit costs. 

Returning to the international scene, it was the turn of Lieutenant Colonel Emiliano Pellegrini, serving at the JAPCC (Joint Air Power Competence Center) of NATO in Germany, to take stock of the lessons identified in the Ukrainian Theater of Operations, while Major General Andrea Vicari, commander of the III department of the Army General Staff, responsible for planning and operations, illustrated to the audience the concept of reference of the Loitering Ammunition for the Ground Forces.

As mentioned, industry plays a key role in the production and availability of such weapon systems. The following should be read in this direction: case-study presented by “Rheinmetall Italia SpA” and “Aerea – Epsilon Engineering Services”, respectively regarding the technical projects of LM Hero and Ale Okapi, especially in view of possible and desirable nationalization processes. Aspects that were also addressed in the round table at the end of the work, in which in addition to outlining the current needs of the air-terrestrial dimension, medium-long term perspectives and needs were also highlighted. Among these, of particular interest is the observation made in his greeting address by the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, General of the Army Corps Salvatore Camporeale: our country, even before the Armed Forces, cannot afford to let slip a strategic capacity such as the Loitering Ammunition. A capability that absolutely must be a national heritage, at military, industrial and research levels.