The budget planning document for Italian defense spending from 2021 to 2023 was adopted in Rome on 5 August. It includes a five percent year-on-year increase in the direct budget of the Ministry of Defense to 16.8 billion euros, as well as an increase in procurement expenditure of as much as 24 percent.
In addition to seven so-called “flagship” programs, the amounts also include the Italian share of the trinational 6th generation Tempest fighter aircraft (Military News reported) until 2035 for the first time. According to the “Documento Programmatico Pluriennale della Difesa” (DPP), the portion of the budget allocated to acquisitions amounts to four billion euros. For a true picture, however, the annual increase for domestic procurement by the Italian Ministry of Industry must be added to this. This amounts to 2.7 billion euros and therefore the total expenditure for all material procurement will be 6.76 billion euros – an increase of 24 percent compared to the 5.45 billion euros of the previous year. Based on the two main macro-political guidelines that characterize the strengthened mandate of Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini – the active repositioning of Italy on the international scene and the revival or relaunch of the national defense industry through the modernization of military instruments – the DPP describes the national commitment in the frame of reference and outlines the evolution of the strategic framework, the role of defense in the main international organizations (NATO, EU and UN) and the operational commitments of the Italian military at home and abroad.
High importance of Italian industry
Lorenzo Guerini, in the directive on the management of defense industrial policy signed at the same time, the content of which was adopted in the DPP: “The aerospace, defense and security industry is one of Italy’s most competitive industrial capacities. A national ‘treasure’ of knowledge and skilled labor pool, in which lies an important part of Italy’s sovereignty and its belonging to the circle of technologically and economically advanced countries. Technological innovation programs, international cooperation and programs of high strategic importance are essential elements to ensure the effectiveness of the national military instrument and enable it to adapt to the constant challenges of an ever-changing global scenario.” https://militaeraktuell.at/eurofighter-und-netma-schliessen-upgrade-vertraege/ The DPP identifies the strategic orientations and capacity development lines as well as the main operational needs. The document lists 85 programs to start in the three years to 2023 and includes an update – they call it a “screenshot” – of the 115 programs already started in the previous period. It identifies seven important strategic, so-called “flagship” procurement programs, including the future 6th generation Tempest fighter aircraft system. Italy joined the program in December 2020 as a partner of the UK and Sweden, but no funds had been made available for the program to date. Italian industry representatives had already warned of missing out on an early division of labor. This uncertainty has now been removed. Strategic importance for decades: Tempest
Tempest is described in the current papers as “of strategic national importance for the Italian defense sector”, as it offers promising opportunities for international cooperation, a high-tech “footprint” in terms of impact from 2040, but already good returns for the domestic industry. As part of the program, the Ministry of Defense is supported by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of University and Research and the Ministry of Digital Innovation. In detail, it has now been determined that 20 million euros will be made available for Tempest this year, as well as in 2022 and 2023. 90 million euros will be made available in each of the following three years, and as much as 1.85 million euros between 2027 and 2035. Italy is thus catching up with the lead nation, the UK, which has released around 2.25 billion pounds (around 2.66 billion euros) for Tempest to date.
As explained in the DPP, Tempest is intended as a manned/optionally manned fighter that can operate in highly contested and “denied” environments in an offensive networked manner and, as a Future Combat Air System (FCAS), will be part of a more comprehensive, networked system-of-systems (SoS) that will include unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), weapon and sensor systems as well as other current and future aviation systems and technologies. Incidentally, technical innovations on the way to realization should also benefit the Eurofighter Typhoon, which is expected to fly until at least 2040.
Laser weapons for Tempest?
Air Force General Enzo Vecciarelli – F-104S starfighter pilot until 2002 and Chief of Staff of the Italian Armed Forces since 2018 – made the comment during a recent missile defense seminar in Rome that “ directed energy weapons may be the future when it comes to defending against the ‘game changer’ in the form of the hypersonic missiles now being developed all over the world. These can do a lot of damage, but there will be a lot of energy available in Tempest, and I’m explicitly not ruling out the use of laser weapons.” And indeed, Leonardo, BAE Systems and MBDA are already working on a feasibility study to enable an airborne high-energy laser for Tempest, based on the development work also currently underway by Leonardo and MBDA together with QinetiQ for the Dragonfire shipborne laser. Incidentally, it was also Vecciarelli who told Militär Aktuell a few years ago that the Austrians should “come to us for support and upgrades” with their 15 aircraft in view of the highly publicized disagreements with Airbus. “We have half of your reported operating costs and will make you our fifth squadron.” Well, since this year there has at least been a general cooperation framework agreement with “Difesa” in Rome. Other military aviation programs
DPP also mentions for the first time the (Italian) co-financing of a Future Fast Rotorcraft (FFR), endowed with 219 million euros until 2032 for a “Phase 2” study, which will later be incorporated into a procurement strategy. The inclusion of FFR confirms Italy’s interest and involvement in researching new rotary wing technologies that will contribute to improving national industrial capabilities in this area. The activities of that “Phase 2” will be launched from 2022, following the completion of ongoing feasibility studies, which will examine possible synergies with “existing international programs involving the development of enabling technologies for fast future rotorcraft and thereby capability improvements for the armed forces”, the DPP noted, adding that such studies will provide “key data in terms of market analysis, operational requirements, costs, timing and risks related to the initiative”.
Janes Defence has already reported in 2020 that Italy has in the past expressed its interest in the US “Future Vertical Lift” or FVL program (see here), but also signed a letter of intent in October 2020 to participate in the NATO Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC), together with France, Germany, Greece and the United Kingdom. The ongoing studies on the (much more advanced) FVL and NGRC will likely determine the extent of Italy’s future participation in one or both initiatives. Furthermore, DPP also mentions aviation programs that were already listed as priorities but have not yet received formal funding. These include: The procurement of low-cost basic trainer aircraft, plans to fund the mid-life upgrade of the C-130 fleet, new long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft to replace the already retired Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic, the technical upgrade of the current ATR-72 multi-sensor and multi-role aircraft for maritime surveillance, the acquisition of Gulfstream EC-37B electronic warfare (EW) aircraft, the procurement of tactical UAV, mini/micro UAV and naval UAV for the Navy and Army, the modernization or replacement of the MALE UAVs Falco, Explorer, Predator and their weapon systems, including the selection of a replacement for Predator-A+ and MQ-1.
With regard to (ground-based) air defence, a further strategic defence programme is mentioned, which includes the modernization, renewal and expansion of national air and missile defence capacities. Funds totaling three billion euros have been earmarked for this until 2035, of which 307 million euros will be provided for the period 2021 to 2023. Army and navy
Another “flagship” is the development and acquisition of a new family of amphibious and armored combat and transport vehicles for the needs of the navy and army and for the amphibious landing forces. A total of 326 million euros has been earmarked for this until 2034, of which the first five million euros will be spent between 2021 and 2023.
The acquisition of surveillance and operational radars as well as sensors for the anti-tank defense of the Italian army and naval units equipped with FSAF/PAAMS systems for the introduction of B1-NT missiles (currently still under development) is also designated as a “flagship”. A total of 702 million euros has been earmarked for this program until 2035, of which 174 million euros are earmarked for the period 2021 to 2023. The acquisition of two new destroyers is also considered crucial for defence, also in view of the threat posed by ballistic missiles. A total of 2.35 billion euros has been earmarked for this until 2035, including 6.5 million euros for the period 2021 to 2023. The acquisition of an infantry fighting (vehicle) system (Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle) was also launched this year, for which Italy is expected to play an important role in the development phase. A total of 2.14 billion euros has been earmarked for this program to renew the Dardo/M113 infantry fighting vehicles and their special versions by 2035, of which two million euros are earmarked for the period 2021 to 2023. One of the current programs whose status is being “photographed”, i.e. analysed at the present time, is the 86 Centauro-II 8×8 wheeled armoured vehicles. The first ten vehicles were ordered in 2018, but the lion’s share was only awarded to Consorzio IVECO-OTO-Melara (CIO) by the Land Armaments Directorate of the Italian Ministry of Defense on 30 December 2020 – with an option for a further ten units including integrated logistics support. A total requirement of 150 new armored vehicles has been defined as part of the Italian General Staff’s plan to equip the cavalry regiments with a platform that offers maximum security even in high-risk operational areas. In terms of performance, observation capability, mobility, ergonomics, firing capability, crew protection and range, the Centauro-II is described as a major advance on its predecessor.
Nothing works without the cloud
Another priority program for the Italians – but one that spans all branches of the armed forces – is the acquisition of data exchange capacities based on a “Defence Cloud” concept. This is a multi-year program that aims to bundle several measures in connection with the creation of an information environment that is classified as common, secure and interoperable. It aims to ensure the sharing of defense data packages for the benefit of the armed forces to support decision-making and command and control (C2) in multi-domain military operational environments and/or in support of civil authorities. The DPP 2021-2023 provides for funding totaling 91 million euros for this purpose until 2035, of which around eleven million euros will be allocated until 2023.
