"The agreement between Leonardo, Thales and Airbus represents a step of enormous strategic value for strengthening Europe’s position in space and for Italy, which will be able to assume a leading role in the new industrial architecture that is taking shape” thus commented the delegate of Confindustria for Aerospace Giorgio Marsiaj on the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that marks the birth of the new European player in the space domain. A colossus with €6.5 billion in revenues, operational from 2027, in which the space activities of the three groups will be combined (see AVIONEWS 1 and 2).

“It is a strong signal of vision and leadership –stressed Marsiaj– which gives concreteness to the prospect of a more integrated and competitive European space ecosystem. It is also a clear message in support of European and national industrialisation, in line with the need to build common technological and production capabilities. At a time when many economic sectors are slowing down or going through difficulties, space confirms itself as an area of strong expansion, with an estimated value of € 1,600 billion by 2035. In 2024, global public investments in the space sector reached € 122 billion, of which € 12.6 billion in Europe, equal to 10% of the total. Furthermore –explained Marsiaj– the next multiannual financial framework of the European Union should allocate over € 130 billion to investments in defence, security and space, five times the resources allocated in the previous programming period. In this context, the creation of such an alliance for space represents a strategic lever for Europe and for the country, which can boast an entire value chain competitive at a global level".

“Confindustria –concluded– will continue to support the entire aerospace sector to foster the growth of a solid, supportive and competitive ecosystem, capable of accompanying this strategic evolution and of strengthening Italy’s position in European space".