Rome has postponed the project to create the “Italian of the Pentagon”
ROME, 28 Dec — RIA Novosti, Sergei Elders. The Italian government reduced spending on a number of projects related to defence and, in particular, has postponed the creation of the “Italian of the Pentagon,” said Friday Prime Minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte during a press conference at the end of 2018.
The Prime Minister called himself a patriot and expressed the full support of his office to the armed forces of Italy, including in the implementation of their military missions abroad.
“As for military spending, we saved approximately half a billion euros due to the suspension of some projects in the field of armaments. In addition, we reduced costs, deferring the creation of the so-called Italian of the Pentagon. If I remember correctly, this project was scheduled investments in the amount of approximately 1.5 billion euros. We found that the establishment of such a Central structure in which logistics had to be accommodated the entire leadership of the armed forces is not as important of a strategic nature”, — said the Prime Minister.
Conte also raised the issue of procurement for the armed forces of Italy, fighter-bombers of the fifth generation F-35.
According to him, the matter is currently under “technical evaluation” of the Minister of defence of Elisabetta Trent and leadership of the armed forces, after which a final decision is made.
“I note that our government is not spent on the F-35 not a single Euro”, — said Conte. He also reminded that the agreement on the production and procurement of these military aircraft has a special, a framework that provides “some flexibility”. This essentially means that Italy will be able to buy the F-35 as the need arises.
In July of Trent in one of the most popular TV programmes said that Italy intends to withdraw from further procurement of the F-35. According to local media, the Italian air force has received the first such aircraft. Long-term program of production and purchases implies of 90 F-35, of which eight have already been commissioned in April, shortly before the expiration of the term of the previous government of Italy.