This Tuesday, the Government committed investments worth nearly €12 billion. The Council of Ministers approved an investment package featuring new systems for the Navy and the Air Force, alongside the modernization of vessels, the acquisition of anti-drone systems, and missile programs. It promoted the acquisition of both an intelligence ship and a hydrographic vessel, and endorsed the modernization of other Navy minehunters, surface ships, and amphibious assault vessels. Among the items given the green light is a €2.3 billion program for the “modernization and evolutionary development of the S-80 series submarines”—a program launched two decades ago that has faced numerous difficulties, including design flaws and significant cost overruns, before reaching its current stage, with the first unit fully operational and the second about to be delivered.
However, despite the sheer volume of the approvals, there was not a single word about them during the subsequent Council of Ministers press conference, nor any information released by the Ministry of Defense.
Just a week ago, they gave the green light to another €4.2 billion for various armament contracts, and recent meetings have seen a steady trickle of new investments. Added to this are new programs still pending approval before the end of the year, worth roughly another €3.2 billion.
Thus, the final meetings of the Council of Ministers ahead of the November 29th elections endorse defense investments totaling around €19 billion, aimed at modernizing weapons systems used by the Armed Forces and acquiring new vessels, aircraft, satellites, drones, and missiles.
In doing so, the Government seeks to fulfill its commitment to NATO to exceed 2% of GDP in military spending, despite the anti-war rhetoric that has characterized the entire legislative term.
