Italy To Send 3 Planes to Mali for Logistical Support

 Italy said on Jan. 22 that it will send three planes to Mali to help support French and Malian troops battling Islamist rebels after parliament gave the green light for a two- to three-month logistical mission.

Defence Minister Giampaolo Di Paola said Italy would send “two C-130 transport planes and a 767 plane for refueling.” He had earlier said the transport planes will be used to ship troops and equipment from neighboring countries offering assistance to Mali.

Between 15 and 24 Italian instructors will also be sent as part of a European mission to help train Malian troops.

Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said Jan. 22 that Italy was “not only engaged in the fight against terrorism but also in the stabilization and development of the Sahel” region and “couldn’t not take part in the Mali operation”.

Italy's Alenia keen for involvement in Franco-British UCAV programme

Alenia Aermacchi is keen to become involved in the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) demonstrator programme being jointly developed by the UK and France via their aerospace champions BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation.

Giueseppe Giordo, chief executive of Alenia Aermacchi, believes the Franco-British alliance created by the Lancaster House treaty of November 2010 "is not a closed one" and the nations would be willing to "consider other partners to enter it".

However, Giordo cautions that Alenia would only be willing to join if it was given an equal billing with the two other manufacturers. "Clearly we will not enter with a secondary role. If the French and British can understand that another party can enter at the same level [as BAE Systems and Dassault] this will be a sound approach."

He says the Italian authorities are talking to their British and French counterparts, as well as other governments across Europe, to identify "which is the best alliance" for its involvement.

Giordo was speaking at an event to mark the second flight of the Dassault Neuron on 19 December in Istres in the south of France. Produced by six European nations and their aerospace representatives, including Alenia, the Neuron is a stealthy unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), designed as a technology demonstrator.

Italian air force stands up new Eurofighter unit

The Eurofighter combat aircraft has entered service with the Italian air force's 18 Sqn at Trapani-Birgi air base in Sicily, with the unit having been reformed following the phasing-out of its last Lockheed Martin F-16s in May.

Part of the air force's 37th Wing, 18 Sqn will be responsible for defending Italy's national airspace, alongside the service's 4th Wing at Grosseto and 36th Wing at Gioia del Colle.

The service says the unit was stood up on 18 October, with other sources saying that it has received at least eight aircraft, including four from each of its previously established Eurofighter wings.

Pak-Italian Top Generals Discuss ‘Afghanistan Situation’

A high powered delegation lead by General Biagio ABRATE, Chief of Defence Staff, Italian Armed Forces, Republic of Italy, today visited Joint Staff Headquarters Chaklala. General Biagio ABRATE called on General Khalid Shameem Wynne, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).
During the meeting the matters related to Professional interests and mutual cooperation came under discussion. Over all situation of Afghanistan was of particular focus during the discussions.
CJCSC emphasized that stability in Pakistan is directly linked with the security situation in Afghanistan and that Pakistan is fully supportive of an Afghan led and Afghan owned reconciliation process.
General Biagio ABRATE appreciated the role played by the people and Armed Forces of Pakistan specially the efforts in fighting terrorism and thereby stabilizing the Geo-Strategic situation of the region.

Rosoboronexport, Leading Italian Industries Set to Establish Cooperation in Airborne Surveillance Domain

JSC "Rosoboronexport" and Italian company "OMA SUD S.p.A.", i.e. the affiliate of "ATR Group" and designer and manufacturer of certified multimission general-purpose aircraft – twin-engine SKYCAR and single-engine REDBIRD, signed Memorandum of Understanding during the 9th International Exhibition "Gydroaviasalon-2012" which traditionally takes place on the Russian coast of Black Sea in Gelendzhik.

The main purpose of the cooperation is joint production of light amphibian aircraft, on basis of the one, developed by JSC "Beriev", capable to perform special patrolling as well as humanitarian and double-purpose missions.

The Agreement between JSC "Rosoboronexport" and "SELEX Galileo Ltd" was signed within the frames of work set out in July in Farnborough on development of cooperation mechanism on project "Integrated diagnostic centers" for operation and maintenance of Russian and Western origin fix and rotary wing aircraft, earlier delivered to third countries.

ST Aerospace & Alenia Aermacchi Roll Out First M-346 for the RSAF

 enegono Superiore (Varese), Italy  – The first M-346 advanced trainer for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) was rolled out in a ceremony held at Alenia Aermacchi’s plant in Venegono Superiore, Italy.

In September 2010, ST Aerospace, as the prime contractor, teaming with Alenia Aermacchi (a Finmeccanica company) and The Boeing Company, was awarded a contract to supply 12 M-346 aircraft and ground based training system for the RSAF’s Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) programme.

The roll-out ceremony was attended by officials from the RSAF, key representatives from ST Aerospace, The Boeing Company and Alenia Aermacchi, as well as staff representatives involved in the programme. 

Last Cold War Russian Nuclear Sub Scrap Contract

Russia contracts with Italy for decommissioning the last remaining Northern Fleet nuclear submarine no longer in operation
But 'Barents Observer' notes there are still more than 70 reactor compartments to be taken safely onshore from storage in Saida Bay, west of Murmansk near the border with Norway.
Rosatom, Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation has for years been looking for a funder to cover the costs of scrapping the last of the 120 retired nuclear powered submarines that sailed in the Northern fleet during the Cold War. Now, Italy agrees to pay €7 million to cut out the reactor-compartment from the submarine, currently laid up at Nerpa naval yard on the Kola Peninsula, according to 'AtomInfo'.

€11 Million Contract to Supply LOAM Systems to the Italian Ministry of Defense

At Farnborough 2012 SELEX Elsag announced a 11 million euro contract to supply LOAM (Laser Obstacle Avoidance & Monitoring) systems to equip naval and tactical NH-90 helicopters operated by the Italian Ministry of Defense. Delivery of the equipment is expected to begin in 2013.

The NH90 is produced by NHI, a consortium between the Franco-German company Eurocopter, the Anglo-Italian Agusta Westland and the Dutch Stork Fokker Aerospace.

SELEX Elsag’s LOAM is an auxiliary system for navigation, designed for rotary wing platforms. Its operating system is based on an eye-safe laser radar. This can detect any kind of dangerous obstacle along the flight path, such as power lines, ropeway wires and pillars, allowing the crew to adopt appropriate, timely and effective countermeasures. This significantly increases the pilot’s situational awareness and guarantees a higher level of safety in low altitude flight during operational missions.

Italy Presents The AC-27J

The Italian manufacturer of the C-27J transport recently announced a gunship version. This would equip the twin-engine aircraft with an automatic cannon (probably 30mm), night vision sensors, laser designators, and guided missiles (like Hellfire and even smaller ones like Griffin).

Four years ago the air force portion of U.S. SOCOM (AFSOC, Air Force Special Operations Command) looked into using light (two engine) transports for "light gunships." SOCOM selected the C-27J (a joint U.S./Italian upgrade of the Italian G-222) for the experiment. This is a 28 ton aircraft that can carry nine tons for up to 2,500 kilometers and land on smaller airfields than the four engine transports can handle. SOCOM planned to take a C-27J and mount a pair of 30mm automatic cannon on it, along with the AC-130 gunship sensors and communications gear as well as Hellfire missiles. Called the "AC-XX", this C-27J experiment didn't work out (mainly for political reasons) and SOCON stuck with the AC-130.

The Italians apparently sensed an international market for a twin engine gunship. The Italian plan is for the sensors and communications gear, and some of the weapons, to be mounted on pallets, which would be placed in the aircraft via the rear cargo ramp and hooked up to aircraft power and communications systems. Some weapons (missiles) would be mounted on external racks. The Italians are looking for customers before they actually build the AC-27J, and given the American experience with "instant gunships" (Harvest Hawk), there is no doubt that it works and that the Italians can create an AC-27J version.

Cargo aircraft serving as gunships first appeared, using twin-engine World War II era C-47 transports, in the 1960s over Vietnam. The troops called the gunships, which liked to operate at night, "Spooky." The gunships quickly moved to four engine C-130 transports but the nickname stuck.

Ministerial Committee Approves Acquisition of Italian Trainer

Israel will acquire the M-346 trainer aircraft for approximately 4 billion NIS, and Italy will carry out a reciprocal acquisition at a similar scope. Israel’s Minister of Defense: “The deal will infuse hundreds of millions of dollars into the leading companies in Israel’s defense industry”

Israel’s Ministerial Committee for Acquisitions, headed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, approved the Ministry of Defense proposal for the large-scale acquisition deal with the Italian government. At the center of the deal is the acquisition of the IAF’s next trainer aircraft, and the Italian government’s reciprocal acquisition from the Israeli defense industries.

According to the deal that’s been formed, Israel’s Ministry of Defense will acquire thirty M-346 trainer aircraft by the Italian company Aermacchi for the Israeli Air Force, at a scope of 4 billion NIS ($1 billion).

In reciprocation of the deal, the Italian government will carry out an acquisition at a scope of 4 billion NIS from the Israeli defense industries. According to the statement made by the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the scope of the transactions represents billions of NIS over a period of 25 years for the Israeli economy and the defense establishment. A considerable part of the sum will reach the Israeli defense industries and allow for the development of advanced technologies, along with producing thousands of jobs.

Senior officials from the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the IDF, and the IAF detailed all of the considerations that brought the Ministry, the IDF, and the IAF to select the Italian reciprocal acquisition and the Italian trainer aircraft.

The CEO of the Ministry of Defense, Udi Shani, presented the highlights of the staff work carried out by the Minister of Defense and the IAF in the months leading up to the selection of the deal.

There are four components at the center of the deal: the reciprocal deal, which will provide thousands of jobs for the economy and the Israeli defense industry; the quality of the aircraft and its cost; the financing deal; and the recommendation of the IAF, which professionally preferred the Italian trainer.

During the discussion, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, “It is a very important acquisition for training the pilots of the IAF, which is an essential part of Israel’s security.”

Israel’s Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak, added, “the deal with the Italian government will provide the IAF with the tools to continue training the world’s best fighter pilots in the future. It will also introduce hundreds of millions of dollars to the leading companies in the Israeli defense industry, in a manner that will help the defense establishment preserve its technological superiority.”

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz said to those attending the discussion, "The air force is the strategic branch and the most important offensive component in the IDF’s decisiveness. The acquisition of the aircraft will allow for the qualification of the IAF's future pilots three decades in the future, in front of the threats and challenges in the regional arena.”

Ministry of Defense CEO Udi Shani told the members of the minister's committee, "The large deal with the Italian government reflects the best interest for Israel, the defense establishment, and the IAF, in all four parameters. It will also allow us to replace the Skyhawk helicopters that have been used by the IAF’s instruction layout for nearly 40 years and to improve the safety of the air cadets. No less important, the deal with Italy will allow the defense establishment to fund the development of projects of strategic importance for the security for the state of Israel, while simultaneously infusing billions of NIS into the Israeli defense industry, and yielding thousands of work places for the Israeli defense industries.”

Following the approval of the minister's committee, the deal will be brought before the Knesset’s shared committee for the defense budget in the coming days for final approval.

Italy is buying American Gyrocam 15 TS sensors for its MRAPs ((Mine Resistant Ambush Protected), to make the vehicles more effective at clearing routes in Afghanistan of roadside bombs.

The Gyrocam is a small turret with a sensor ball (that can also rotate upwards 90 degrees). The sensors include day/night vision color vidcams with 20:1 zoom. Incorporated is a laser rangefinder and laser illuminator (to mark a target for a laser guided missile or bomb). The Gyrocam includes GPS, so it, and its operator, always knows exactly where it is.
The Gyrocam TS units cost over $400,000 each. These units use a gimbaled enclosure that allows the operator to quickly move the field-of-view around. The Gyrocam TS can be mounted in trucks, boats or aircraft (typically helicopters.) The Italians will mount the Gyrocam TS units on their MaxxPro MRAPs used by their EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) teams. The Gyrocam TS enables the EOD guys inside the MRAP to get a good look at potential roadside bombs, or any other suspicious activity out there. The 35 kg (77 pound) Gyrocam TS has a five kg (eleven pound) electronic interface unit and a 3.5 kg laptop control console, which can be mounted in the vehicle, or just perched on the knees of the operator. The Gyrocam turrets have been used for this kind of work for over six years.
The MaxxPro Dash MRAP was designed for use in Afghanistan, thus they are lighter (14 tons), shorter and have the engine and drive train tweaked to provide more power. Thousands of MaxxPro Dash models are headed for Afghanistan. Like most MRAPs, MaxxPro Dash cost about a million dollars each, fully equipped and delivered to Afghanistan.

Italian carabinieri killed, two injured in an explosion in Afghanistan

ROME - An Italian carabinieri were killed and two others were injured Monday in an explosion whose origin was not specified within a training camp for the Afghan police Adraskan, in west of Afghanistan, announced in Rome on Ministry of Defence.

The explosion occurred at 8:50 (4:20 GMT) and hit a guard observation installed near the firing line of a polygon.

Three soldiers Carabineros were affected and one of them, Braj Manuele, 30, married with a baby of 8 months, died instantly.

The two others were wounded in the legs and transported to the U.S. military hospital at Shindand.Their days are not in danger, according to staff.

The area of ​​the explosion was isolated to allow the statements (of the investigation, ie) and reconstruction of events, said the staff without giving further details on the possible origin of the explosion.

Italy has planned to reduce from 2012 its contingent in Afghanistan. Rome has deployed about 4,000 troops under the NATO International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).

According to an AFP count, 51 Italian soldiers have died in military operations or accidents since the beginning of the conflict in Afghanistan.

Last Wednesday, the Italian foreign minister Giulio Terzi recalled that Italy expected to end its combat operations in Afghanistan by the end of 2014. For the period between 2015 and 2017, Rome has budgeted 360 million euros to finance infrastructure projects and continue to support Afghan security forces.

Italy Could Surrender Some of Its Fleet to Third Countries

Italy is suffering severely for the current economic crisis and, despite the measures taken to stem the losses, the forecasts for the future is bleak. The data presented at Eurosatory - arms fair held in Paris - show a country in great difficulties even in the defense sector: the Ministry of the total budget is spent 22.4M-17.6M dollars in four years, with a reduction of 21.4% in 2012 compared to 2008.

The Italian government is trying, like many other European countries, to cut the unnecessary and at the same time find ways to sustain capacity and invest in new technologies. No wonder, then, that Italy is planning to get rid of some of its vehicles in service in favor of potential buyers, to reduce costs and raise cash.

It will be the Navy to be more affected by this process, if ever the government decides to implement it. The Navy has 82 ships in service of various kinds and 6 submarines. The plan is to get rid of 26-28 vessels, according to a statement by Admiral Louis Binelli Mantelli, Chief of Staff of the Navy, during a hearing at the Senate defense committee. In the list of 'offers' there would be 7 frigates, 6/8 corvettes, 4 ships trainer, 4 offshore tugboats, 3 coastal minesweepers and 2 carriers.

Not all ships in the list will bring money into the bank of the Navy Department. Some units have reached the maximum number of years of life and will be withdrawn from service and were not included in the list because now considered unusable. Others, such as deminer Lerici, retired from service last March, is still considered suitable for sale as the Maestrale class frigates, including the most 'old' will still be retired at the end of 2013.

Camcopter UAV successfully completes flight from Italian Navy

Schiebel's S-100 Camcopter unmanned air system (UAS), powered by a new heavy fuel engine, has successfully completed its first flight from the Italian Navy's Soldati-class frigate, ITS Bersagliere.

Equipped with a Wescam MX-10 camera payload, the S-100 carried out a number of observation missions from the Italian Navy base of La Spezia, transmitting high-definition images in real-time.

During the flight demonstration, the S-100 performed well in sea states three to four during the 4.5 hour flight, with winds reaching speeds of up to 25 knots.

Schiebel Group Chairman Hans Georg Schiebel said: "The feedback we have had has been extremely positive and we look forward to assisting the Italian Navy in whatever way we can in the future."

"The UAS features fly-by-wire technology, which enables it to complete its mission automatically with an endurance of up to ten hours while carrying a 34kg payload."

The UAS features fly-by-wire technology, which enables it to complete its mission automatically with an endurance of up to ten hours while carrying a 34kg payload at a service ceiling of 18,000ft.

The Camcopter's basic power plant is a Wankel-type rotary piston engine that can run on 100 octane-grade aviation gasoline and is rated at 50HP.

The vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV is capable of operating in any atmospheric conditions both on land and at sea, has a beyond line-of-sight capability of 200km, and does not require supporting launch or recovery equipment.

The UAS is used to conduct costal patrol, environmental protection and intelligence-gathering activities, and also supports drug enforcement, anti-piracy and search and rescue operations, as well as providing surveillance and reconnaissance capability onboard the ship.

The S-100 has already successfully demonstrated its maritime capabilities on 14 different classes of vessel in a variety of challenging conditions.