Leonardo CEO meets Airbus head to discuss satellite alliance

By Angelo Amante

ROME (Reuters) -Leonardo Chief Executive Roberto Cingolani said he had met the head of French peer Airbus on Tuesday to discuss possible alliances in the satellite industry which would allow Europe to better face up to global competition.

"We are working (on a satellite alliance) with Airbus and Thales," Cingolani said on the sidelines of a conference at the Italian parliament after meeting the Airbus CEO early on Tuesday morning at an airport in Rome.

"It is clear that in such a competitive scenario we need European giants ... it's not something you can do in two months, it really needs a lot of work," he told Reuters.

Cingolani last summer confirmed ongoing discussions between the Italian aerospace and defence group and France's Airbus and Thales on space alliances to compete with rivals such as the United States and China.

Leonardo manufactures satellites, orbiting infrastructure and sensors and manages satellite services and propulsion and launching systems. It has two joint-ventures with Thales: Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio.

Airbus and Thales Alenia Space are Europe's largest makers of satellites for telecommunications, navigation and surveillance.

Italy is considering meeting its immediate Satellite needs by turning to Elon Musk's Starlink system to ensure secure communications involving the government, embassies and defense officials operating in high-risk geographical areas.

The project has come under fire from centre-left opposition parties which are hostile to Musk, but Cingolani appeared to side with the government on the issue.

Asked about a possible deal, Cingolani said a key issue was the protection of data being transmitted through the infrastructure, and Leonardo would be able to ensure security.

(Reporting by Angelo Amante, editing Gavin Jones)

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