Italy is an industrial country, whatever people say, in crisis. For decades generations of Italians have grown up undergoing indoctrination based on an idea of "immorality of the armaments industry". Consequently, generations of politicians, journalists and obviously industrialists have lived with the fear of pronouncing only the term "weapon" (sometimes even the one with an initial capital, but we would leave the subject ...).
The result is that globally there is a huge market, very rich and legal (!) In which we could have the lion's share but which sees us less than sheep (we don't even bleat). In all this, Italy is absolutely not part of a "side", it is alone. The others? Obviously they say we do well and - by "stealing" our contracts - they smile. At home the others receive compliments and, most of all, they have the support of public opinion. We shut up and fly, at most a cough.
A few weeks ago a conference on state of progress of the industrial defense system for the country system. The Italian military, political and industrial leaders were present. A lot of lights and shadows came out. We will deepen them with the protagonists. Let's start with the Hon Guido Crosetto and Carlo Festucci, respectively president and general secretary of the AIAD (Federation of Italian Companies for Aerospace, Defense and Security), the association that represents the major national companies in the sector.
We Italians are much better than they want us to believe. If there are no jobs, the economy is struggling and, from abroad, they slap us on the back laughing ... it is right to also explain why they are (wrongly) considered uncomfortable.
In the interview we will also touch on a point that the policy did not want to deal with: the enormous cost of the "savings" obtained by cutting the F-35, a program that saw us privileged producers (until the purchase of 100 aircraft). After the reduction to 90 F-35 we lost a share in the production of wing boxes. For a long time our soldiers have been mocked by their colleagues (primarily British): "Do you have any other cuts planned?"
Good vision!
