The Air Force took part, on 23 and 24 January, in the 16th edition of the "European Space Conference", an event organized under the aegis of the current Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union and which brought together at the Square Brussels Convention Centre the main European space actors at an institutional level, the Space Agencies of the Member Countries and the industries of the sector, with the aim of addressing the most urgent topics and challenges within the entire European space ecosystem.
On January 24, in the session dedicated to the comparison between the main "Space Commanders" at a European level - in the presence, among others, of the commander of the space command Frenchman, General Philippe Adam, and the commander of the space command Spanish, General Crespo Zaragoza - the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Force General Luca Goretti, spoke and wanted to underline, in particular, the importance of ensuring the necessary "umbrella" in terms of security and defense for the of space activities, including those of a commercial and civil nature.
“Space has always been a highly competitive environment and will become increasingly so in light of the multiplicity of actors and interests that revolve around it”, said the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. “It is essential, in this sense, to act promptly and synergistically at a multinational level to keep up with the challenges and also the threats that can arise from this environment and to ensure that the necessary capabilities to operate safely in space are developed and acquired. and ensure the defense of infrastructures and more generally of national and European interests in the sector".
The Air Force, through national programs, bilateral cooperation and participation in industrial and research projects, is fully inserted in the Defense sector and in the country system to guarantee the maintenance of excellence in the national space and aerospace sector. Through thegeneral space office, established in September 2017, the Air Force General Staff defines and updates the and directives for the development of the space and aerospace capabilities of the armed force.
