Andrea Nativi/GENOA
Italy is to press on with procurement of a new maritime patrol aircraft and Iris-T missile and upgrades to the Raytheon HARM, after the programmes were approved by the Italian Parliament's House and Senate defence committees.
Italy will upgrade 350 HARM missiles in a L52 billion ($30 million) programme over four years, in partnership with Germany and the USA. The anti-radiation missiles are used by the Panavia Tornado ECRs of 50 Wing.
Italian industry will receive a 20% share of development work on the Iris-T short-range air-to-air missile, which begins this year and is due to finish in 2004. Spain and Turkey are also reported to be interested in joining the project with Canada, Germany, Greece, Norway and Sweden. Alenia Difesa has contributed L6.4 billion to the project's definition phase.
The Italian parliament has also approved the definition phase of procurement of a maritime patrol aircraft in partnership with Germany, estimated at L20-30 billion, following a L3 billion initial study by Alenia and Germany's ESG. Full development cost is estimated at L400 billion.
The joint project, involving a consortium of Alenia, Aermacchi, Datamat, ESG and Sia, will be led by Germany.
Source: Flight International