Here’s what we know about Turkey’s newly launched homemade frigate

On the same subject

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  December 21, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  Italian government praise for F-35 shows early doubts waning

  By: Tom Kington ROME – Italy's populist government has given its clearest sign yet that it is firmly backing the F-35, following early pledges to scrap the program by the Five Star party, one of two parties making up Rome's governing coalition. “It is obvious we cannot deprive our Air Force of a great air capability that puts us ahead of many other countries,” said junior defense minister Angelo Tofalo during a speech in Italy's parliament this week. Tofalo is a member of the Five Star party, which formed a governing coalition in June this year with the League party after courting votes with its condemnation of the fighter program. Last year, the party said it would cancel Italy's plans to buy 131 aircraft. Since taking office, the new government's defense minister Elisabetta Trenta — who was tapped for office by the Five Star party — has said the government will consider slowing down orders, rather than cancelling the program. Last month, a government source told Defense News Italy would buy six or seven aircraft in the next five years instead of the previous plan to buy around ten. Tofolo's statement took the positive appraisal of the F-35 one step further. “We have talked about the F-35 for many years in Italy, often in a distorted way, whereas you often need to really know and evaluate information,” he said. “The F-35 program is now moving, and is 20 years old, and contrary to what is often said it is an aircraft which surely has the benefit of optimum technology, maybe the best in the world at this time,” he added. Italy has so far taken delivery of 10 F-35As and one F-35B, which were assembled at the country's final assembly line in Cameri, northern Italy. The Italian aircraft based at Amendola air base have totalled 2,000 flying hours, and in a first for Europe the fledgeling fleet were given Initial Operating Capability status on Nov. 30. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/12/20/italian-government-praise-for-f-35-shows-early-doubts-waning

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  May 7, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Pour la présidente de la commission de la défense de l’Assemblée nationale, «le budget de la défense doit être, plus que jamais, préservé»

  Françoise Dumas, présidente de la commission de la défense de l'Assemblée nationale, souligne, dans une tribune au Figaro, que l'industrie française de la défense constitue un outil précieux pour relancer l'économie française. «Un plan de relance à la hauteur des enjeux doit (...) surtout donner un stimulus immédiat à notre économie. Voilà qui plaide pour un focus très puissant en faveur de la défense et, par extension, de l'aéronautique et de l'espace, qui lui sont intrinsèquement liés», déclare notamment Mme Dumas. «L'industrie de défense, l'aéronautique et l'espace sont les grands points forts de la France dans la concurrence internationale. Il faut défendre nos atouts existants, en reprenant le travail lorsque toutes les précautions sanitaires seront réunies et, d'autre part, en préservant nos industries stratégiques de la récession qui frappe le reste de notre économie», poursuit-elle, mettant en garde contre d'éventuelles «coupes budgétaires destructrices dans l'exécution ou dans l'actualisation de la loi de programmation militaire» votée pour les années 2019 à 2025. «Investir dans la défense, c'est ainsi créer des emplois, de la valeur ajoutée et de l'innovation technologique dès à présent ; c'est relancer tout de suite, et non pas plusieurs années plus tard. Ne nous privons pas d'un vecteur de relance plus réactif que les autres», conclut Mme Dumas. Le Figaro du 6 mai

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  June 23, 2022 | International, Land

  Ukraine lessons helped drive acquisition of RADA, Leonardo DRS chief says

  The merged companies hope to become a market leader in force protection and integrated multi-domain systems.