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This article reports that aviation company Aermacchi SpA has its hands full with its two trainer programs, the M-346 and M-311, over and above preparing them for their first appearance at the Paris air show at Le Bourget. The Finmeccanica unit is in the midst of an intensive technical and commercial effort to fully develop the two aircraft. Along the way, it is signing up industrial partners in the hope the international ties will lead to informal commitments by various governments to buy the aircraft, which is already in flight testing. Aermacchi's strategy mirrors what the U.S. is trying to do with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and the P-8 Multimission Maritime Aircraft.

The June 16-22, 2003 Paris air show is expected to emphasize the aerospace-defense industry's economic concerns rather than new technical achievements. 176 aircraft had been registered for the show, down from 226 in 2001, according to Jean-Luc Joly, chief executive of Salons Internationaux de l' Aeronautique et de l' Espace, the company that manages the air show. The straitened economy plays a significantly bigger role than political tensions, Joly stressed. Aircraft appearing for the first time include the Airbus A340-500 and A318, Embraer's 170/175 regional jets, Grob's seven-seat G160 Ranger single turboprop business aircraft and Vulcanair's newly completed VF600W, an Italian utility aircraft. An Air France Concorde is scheduled to make its final in-flight presentation over Le Bourget on May 14, 2003 the show's official opening day. In the absence of major new programs, beyond the traditional objective of providing a business forum, the 45th Paris air show is expected to be dominated by discussions centering on post-Iraq war transatlantic divergences.

The article reports on the state of the market for military aircraft as of 2009. Saudi Arabia and Oman are reorganizing their combat aircraft inventories as France and Russia are trying to persuade nations to buy their aircraft. Qatar took delivery of C-17, which is considered one of the biggest deals for 2009. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is closely involved in top-level lobbying for Rafale aircraft.

The article offers information on a patchwork of agreements to share data and tasking rights for imaging intelligence between France, Italy and Germany, which is set to go into effect with the commissioning of new X-band radar satellite networks. Under the agreement, Medium- and low-resolution imagery will be available to all users, but access to high-definition imagery will be controlled by the Italian Ministry of Defense.

This article reports that plans of Germany and France for a heavy-lift transport that could be built in cooperation with the U.S. manufacturers are nearing the initial definition phase. The two countries first floated the heavy-lift concept in mid-2004, under the name Heavy Transport Helicopter (HTH), as a replacement for aging Sikorsky CH-53s and Boeing CH-47s toward the end of the next decade. Although Germany currently is without a defense budget, which prevents the initiation of new projects, the issue is expected to be resolved by the time definition gels into a development project. Executives at the company Eurocopter say that the HTH is ready to begin the initial definition phase, and a joint request for information for a heavy-lift system is expected in the coming weeks by Berlin and Paris. The heavy-lift initiative would add to an already extensive engineering workload for Eurocopter.

The article reports that with the threat of a hostile bid hanging over its head, Thales is trying to convince the French government and other major shareholders that independence remains the best strategy for the aerospace/defense electronics company. Chairman/CEO Denis Ranque insists Thales should, and can, continue on its own, noting that it has grown 70% and doubled its earnings since it was reorganized in 1998, despite having divested 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in non-core activities. Sales from so-called multidomestic military markets Thales' core defense business will average 3.3 billion euros annually over the next three years, says Jean-Paul Perrier, executive vice president for sales and marketing.

Every five years wildfires affecting Mediterranean countries destroy an area equal to that of Belgium, according to a newly completed European Commission study. In France alone, nearly 150,000 acres of forests were destroyed by fires in less than eight weeks. Italy, Portugal and Greece were plagued by huge wildfires that could barely be controlled despite early warning air and land patrol, firefighters' expertise, fleets of "water bombers," experienced ground fire brigades and unfettered cross-border cooperation. In the aftermath of the unusually hot, dry summer, European government officials are reviewing firefighting means and methods to see what needs to be revised to become even more efficient. However, no specific conclusions have been drawn yet while causes for major fires are still under investigation. Aerial firefighting appeared, again, as the most efficient and safest way to control and curtail wildfires, including in hilly areas such as the French Riviera.

Rolls-Royce PLC is relying on naval and industrial versions of its Trent and RB211 aeroengine lines, until the commercial aerospace business recovers. Some relief is expected to come from the engine maintenance, repair and overhaul business, which accounted for roughly $2 billion in sales last year. Following a spurt of acquisitions, notably the purchase of Vickers in 1999, marine systems now represent 17% of group revenues and energy systems, 11%. In 2002, while both commercial engine and defense businesses declined, marine system revenues expanded to 984 million pounds from 827 million pounds a year earlier. In April 2003 Rolls formed a teaming arrangement with French naval shipyard DCN to jointly market the WR-21 and other marine propulsion systems in France, Great Britain and third-party markets.

Reports that French company SNPE has completed the creation of a wholly owned subsidiary, known as SME, from its propulsion and munitions businesses easing the way for the long-awaited consolidation of Europe's space and missile propulsion sector. Reasons for the delay in creation of the affiliate; Operational schedule for the affiliate created; Issues still to be addressed in the project.

Reports on a cruise missile program that is to be carried on Franco-Italian frigates which will provide European naval forces with extensive land-attack capability. Versions of frigates to be introduced; Description of the multi-mission frigates; Equipments attached to frigates; Core of the weapon system of frigates; Other weapon systems included in the frigate program.

The article reports that the defense ministries of France and Italy have agreed to the joint purchase and operation of an artificial satellite for military communications. The satellite will be constructed and launched by the companies Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio. Italy's government will provide two-thirds of the funding of the $369 million project.

The article reports that Italy is preparing the groundwork for a pair of follow-on milsatcom systems it plans to launch in partnership with France, even if its second spacecraft is not yet in orbit. The second spacecraft is set to lift off around April 19, 2009. Both of the spacecrafts are to be cofunded by France and Italy in a modest gesture toward milsatcom capacity-sharing that has long eluded Europe.

The article reports on the defense orders of France. According to the author, French President Jacques Chirac implemented many military programs before a new government takes over. The total defense procurement for 2006 is €5.5 billion which includes orders for cruise missiles and nuclear-powered submarine. The buys came as Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie revealed she had secured a promise from Interior Minister and presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy that he will maintain the military modernization program.

This article reports on the hope expressed by France that the pending change in government in Italy will not jeopardize a planned joint defense broadband communications system called Athena. Athena, was initially seen as a tool to bridge the digital divide but is now intended to meet defense and government high-speed Internet needs. Late last month, the Italian government included the project as part of its 2006-2008 three-year space spending plan. CNES's director of strategy, Stephane Janichewski, said on April 3, 2006 that the two countries appear committed to going ahead with a dedicated satellite.

This article reports that Italy and France are finally ready to embark on a vast program to build a fleet of multimission frigates to carry land-attack cruise missiles and other advanced weaponry in support of European out-of-theater forces. But some French military and political leaders are concerned about the possible impact of the 11-billion euro undertaking on other projects. European armament agency Occar issued a 3.5-billion-euro contract for the first phase of the long-stalled 27-ship Fremm/Renaissance program on Nov. 17 to Armaris, a joint venture of DCN and Thales; and Orizzonte, a Finmeccanica-Fincantieri venture. A second 2-billion-euro award for Italy's first two ships is expected to be issued by May 2006, under a Franco-Italian agreement inked on November 15.

This article informs that Italy and France will be able to perform military flights over each other's territory in the future, but they are still not prepared to nail down a formula for a joint multimission frigate program. Currently, fighter detachments are forward-deployed in northern bases as needed; but this is costly and stretches the country's limited air defense fighter fleet comprising 33 leased F-16s. The agreement underscores the growing willingness of European countries to allow neighboring air forces to track potentially hostile targets within their borders, although it's clear that actually engaging such a target will remain beyond the scope of any pact, at least for now.

qThe article informs that Italy and France are scrambling to resolve funding shortfalls that threaten to scuttle their Renaissance multimission frigate program. The 27-ship Renaissance effort, valued at 10 billion euros, is a critical element of European and NATO rapid reaction forces. It's also considered crucial for a number of new weapon programs such as the Scalp Naval cruise missile and Aster air defense system, and perhaps other planned missiles like the vertically launched Mica. The French vessels in particular have a land-attack mission, and both could feature unmanned aircraft to provide targeting data.

This article reports that Italy and France agree on joint frigate definition. The launch of a vast Franco-Italian multimission frigate program intended to support land attack cruise missiles will again be deferred, although design differences that have long plagued the program have basically been resolved. Under the combat system solution adopted, the French ships will sport a fully integrated combat management system with a centralized architecture designed to plug into France's planned naval network-centric warfare system. Thales will be the prime contractor, and will supply the ship's Herakles radar system, currently under development for the Singapore navy's Delta frigates. The French and Italian defense ministers, Michele Alliot-Marie and Antonio Martino, are scheduled to meet in Paris to iron out remaining issues.

Approval of the basic definition for a giant Franco-Italian frigate program is expected to lead to formal launch of the undertaking later this year. French armaments agency DGA reported last week that the two countries had come to agreement on a common vessel and propulsion system architecture for 27 multimission frigates — 17 for France and 10 for Italy. The ships will be built in two configurations, for land attack and antisurface/antisubmarine warfare missions. A green light for the 8-12-billion-euro program, an important element in NATO's and Europe's ambitions for out-of-theater operations, has been held up for 18 months by disagreement on requirements, vessel size and funding.

The article reports that warship designs overseas emphasize adaptability and commonality as the U.S. Navy focuses on the development and deployment of the Littoral Combat Ship. France's Mistral-class multimission helicopter landing docks (LHD), the Dixmude, integrates few changes from its sister ships. The Italian navy and coast guard uses offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) to patrol a long mainland coastline.