THE AVIO AERO

PEOPLE’S MAGAZINE

The idea of a shared defense system as a source of fresh impetus for the European Union project was the core of the debate at the congress entitled "Italy e Difesa Europea", organized in Turin last Friday by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) in association with La Stampa newspaper, as part of its "Colloqui Internazionali" series of events.

It was an important opportunity for assessing the state of play on a subject considered central for many years, but which the geopolitical context has recently made a hot topic, high on the agendas of European states.

Avio Aero was amongst those invited to take part. Our CEO Riccardo Procacci participated in the debate, chaired by Giampiero Gramaglia, a highly experienced foreign affairs reporter and now director of communications for the IAI, with IAI Deputy Chairman General Vincenzo Camporini, Admiral Carlo Massagli, head of Unit III of the Italian Defense General Staff, and Professor Francesco Profumo, Chairman of the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation.

The panel discussion was followed by an interview with the Minister of Defense, Roberta Pinotti, by the Editor in Chief of La Stampa, Maurizio Molinari. In it, the Minister clearly stated the urgent need to work on a common defense system, adding that "if all 28 states don't want to go ahead together, the largest amongst them have to show the way. Then the others will fall into line." After touching on other topics, from Libya to Iraq by way of cybersecurity, Minister Pinotti returned to the subject of European defense, mentioning the example of Italy's cooperation with France, already launched with the formation of mixed crews, and turning to the role of industry, she referred to Fincantieri's cooperation with the French shipbuilding industry.

Riccardo Procacci, called on by the Chair to speak about the centrality of innovation and technology, provided a clear overview of the European defense industry, underlining the need to “create a model based on two pillars: the development of strategic enabling technologies through cooperation between the various countries, industry, universities, research centers and SMEs; and a manufacturing network inspired by principles of efficiency, productivity and industrial know-how”.