Concentration on Expected Growth Areas is Finmeccanica's Show Theme
Despite lackluster growth in European defense spending, Italy's
Finmeccanica group reported positive results in both the 2002
year and first quarter of 2003. At the show this week, its spotlight
will fall on areas in which cutting-edge technology is expected
to drive growth, such as unmanned air vehicles (UAVs).
Robot aircraft are seen as the next frontier of aviation, for
use in surveillance, reconnaissance and combat operations. Two
Finmeccanica companies are showing how far they have progressed
in their projects to integrate advanced solutions and technologies
in this field. Alenia Aeronautica has the experimental UAV/UCAV
program and Galileo Avionica is prominent as a manufacturer of
target drones in Europe.
Finmeccanica is also giving prominence to its ability to integrate
command, control, communication, computer and intelligence systems
to provide the 'network-centric' operational control that is expected
to begin an overhaul of the defense industry over the next few
years. Providers will need to re-orientate themselves as systems
integrators, giving in-group opportunities to Finmeccanica companies
AMS, Galileo Avionica and Marconi Selenia Communications-all of
them represented in force at the show.
Now that the Galileo satellite navigation system is to go ahead
with provision of a parallel to the USA's GPS, Finmeccanica is
expecting opportunities to arise for Alenia Spazio and Telespazio,
its companies specializing in satellite construction and services
management, respectively.
The group is also promoting its capabilities in the field of collective
security, including protection from unconventional threats. It
sees itself well positioned to respond, especially in long-range
defense, through MBDA, a global joint venture operating in sectors
including anti-missile defense.
Finally in the static park as well as in the halls, AgustaWestland,
another Finmeccanica company, offers a range of helicopters as
well as participating in Europe's civil tiltrotor development
program. Helicopters on show comprise the EH101 anti-submarine
vehicle in the colors of the Italian navy; the light civil A109
and A119 Koala (the latter with firefighting gear); and mockups
of Agusta's joint ventures with Bell Helicopter, the AB139 and
BA609 tiltrotor.
Alenia Aeronautica offers the C-27J tactical airlifter and ATR
42 regional turboprop/maritime surveillance aircraft. The C-27J,
which is on order by the Greek and Italian air forces, is flying
in the daily display.
