European giants of the aviation industry – Airbus, Leonardo and Thales Alenia Space – want to create competition for the American SpaceX

In January, the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Melons criticized the lack of European alternatives to Starlinek, emphasizing European delays in the development of public communication technologies.

Her words were said in the context of the Bloomberg agency publishing information about the potential agreement between the Italian government and the company Starlink to provide secure telecommunications services for the government and public administration. The negotiated agreement would have a value of EUR 1.5 billion and include delivery Italy “The full range of the highest class encryption solutions for telephone and internet services used by the government,” Bloomberg informed. The plan also assumed the provision of communication services for the Italian army in the Mediterranean region, as well as the launch of the so -called satellite services directly connecting to cells in Italy, which are to be used in crisis, such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters – representatives of Italian authorities informed in January. The weekly “Variety” described in an article on the case as Elon Musk Still, despite the strong resistance of the opposition parties, he fights to sign a contract with Italy. His recent actions indicate that he wants to meet with President Sergio Mattarella, who – as the newspaper noted – is “considered one of the people who strongly bode to consider other satellite service providers, i.e. the French -British rival Starlink, Oneweb.” – Why did Italy and Europe not reach time in creating public safe communication technologies? – quoted the question of the Italian Prime Minister from January Portal Politico, then commented on it, stating that “taking into account the president's capricious approach USA Donald Trump to foreign policy, which was supposedly caused by the American satellite company cut off Ukraine Access to photos based on the 'administrative application', it seems to be accurate. “

Portal Politico wrote that three European companies – Airbus, Leonardo and Thales Alenia Space – in response, among others They plan to create a joint undertaking for Musk's activities. Its purpose would be to increase the production of satellites, especially for the needs of telecommunications in low Earth's orbit, which would allow you to compete with the Starlink telecommunications giant and SpaceX space company, which belong to Muska. – Due to their own safety, European countries should invest in their own technologies, especially in the context of communication. First of all, this will ensure the safety of the same and the certainty that the data is processed in accordance with EU regulations. Secondly, this will limit the risk of losing access to key communication channels in a crisis situation – Aleksandra Wójtowicz, an analyst of letters, told PAP. According to Politico, Italy has 30 percent. shares in Leonardo, which controls 33 percent Thales Alenia Space. Paris supports the project, however Germanyfearing domination France And Italy in the space sector can block it. As noted by the “Chancellor Olaf Scholz He recently opposed another merger, aimed at creating a pan -European giant between the Italian bank UniCredit and German Commerzbank. “

– The decision to take a joint initiative by Airbus, Leonardo as well as Thales Alenia Space results from the need to combine existing competences in the space industry and fighting for projects and space programs at the level of individual countries. This is the answer to the growing competition from the USA and China – Paweł Fleisher, vice president of the Association of Polish Professionals of the Space Sector, said in an interview with PAP. He also stated that the current European initiatives in this field, such as Iris, are in their assumptions out of date for contemporary needs. According to Politico, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen supports the consolidation projects of European air giants. Creating a common entity of Airbus, Leonardo and Thales Alenia Space named “Project Bromo” would require a broader EU consent, whose competition principles limit the monopolization of markets.