From space exploration to cybersecurity, from helicopters to fighter jets to drones: these are some of Leonardo's main strategic priorities, outlined in the article "Italy's Leonardo Forecasts Growing Orders Amid Strong Defense Business," published in The Wall Street Journal following the presentation of its new Industrial Plan. The analysis, by Mauro Orru, highlights that the aim is to consolidate global leadership in Aerospace and Defence by focusing on technology. A path that includes reducing costs, rationalising the product portfolio and investing in digitalisation and artificial intelligence.
The combination of digital capabilities and military equipment is increasingly central, particularly at a time of geopolitical tensions escalation. In the articles "Leonardo sucht den Anschluss" and "Leonardo für Europa," published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung by Christian Schubert, the emphasis is on electronics, defined by Roberto Cingolani as "the glue that holds together systems on land, at sea, in the air and in space," but also on the alliances to which the major European players in the industry are being called to turn their gaze. To strengthen competitiveness, it is essential to curb fragmentation and promote continent-wide investments by focusing on fewer programmes, as is the case in the United States.
The creation of EU Defence giants is one of the priorities outlined by Cingolani during the event, explored in depth in the German newspaper Börsen-Zeitung. The article "Leonardo setzt auf Allianzen" highlights how, in addition to international partnerships, investments in digitalisation and cyber security are taking on an increasingly central role among the keys to development.
In such a scenario, it emerges the pivotal role, today and even more so in the near future, of protecting global security, on which regional conflicts have a direct impact. Regarding the issue, the article "Leonardo mise sur la "guerre des étoiles" in Le Figaro, signed by Valérie Segond, echoes the words of Leonardo's CEO that "no European country can do it alone. If Europe invests €110 billion in Defence in 2023, compared to $250 billion in the United States, it will be mainly the fragmentation of spending that will make the EU even weaker."
International scenarios have thus radically changed, introducing a new concept of global security, which goes beyond the traditional concept of Defence. The article "Leonardo va investir en priorité dans la numérisation massive de la Défense," published in Les Echos by Olivier Tosseri, outlines the change of perspective indicated by Cingolani. An approach geared not only to the increasing use of cloud and AI, but also to Space, which will be "fundamental for Defence and security in the near future, in terms of satellites and services."
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