Page:NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 17; ITALY; SCIENCE CIA-RDP01-00707R000200080002-5.pdf/15

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200080002-5


FIGURE 5. G.222 transport (U/OU)


Company, Inc. (Aermacchi). Designed to meet an Italian Army requirement for a light aircraft, the AM-3 is suitable for such missions as forward air controller, observation, casualty evacuation, tactical support of ground forces, and general duties. Siai-Marchetti has developed the SM 1019A to perform similar missions.

Two other programs are emerging that will have major impact upon the industry from the later 1970's to the early 1980's. Both programs are being financed through the Italian Government and will be under Aeritalia management. Also, both are collaborative type programs—one with the United Kingdom and West Germany, the other with the United States. Under the terms of a tripartite agreement, Italian industry is to receive about 15% of the work involved in the development and production of a Multi-Role-Combat-Aircraft designated the MRCA-75. This will include contracts for electronic equipment and airframe sections. Current planning indicates one of the six prototype aircraft will be built in Italy. Deliveries of the MRCA-75 are scheduled to commence in the late 1970's. The second major program is between the U.S. Boeing company and Aeritalia. This program provides for the joint development of a STOL transport with production to commence by the late 1970's.

The Italian missile research and development effort is expanding and now includes the design and development of naval (antiship) missiles, as well as field-force defensive and antitank missiles. The naval systems include the Sea Indigo and Spada surface-to-air, the Sea Killer Mk3, and the Otomat antiship cruise missiles. Of these, the Otomat program is the most noteworthy, and it represents a joint effort between Oto Melara in La Spezia and Matra of France. The field force system are the Indigo surface-to-air and Sparviero antitank missiles. Production of the Indigo missile is currently limited to about 10 missiles every 3 months. The Italian Army reportedly plans to equip 100 firing batteries with this missile during the next 5-year period. The Sparviero antitank missile is expected to go into series production by 1975. At that time, it will probably be used as a replacement for the U.S. Tow antitank missile being bought for use by the Italian Army and now being produced under license in Italy and used by the Italian Army. Study efforts reportedly are underway on an unnamed 19-mm range surface-to-surface missile and various adaptations of the Sea Killer Mk1 (Nettuno) and Sea Killer Mk2 (Vulcano) antiship missiles. The Nettuno is a beam-riding solid propellant missile designed for use against destroyers and smaller vessels.

The Italians have invested heavily in the Fubara Air Force Missile Test Range, Latina, near Anzio, and in the Salto di Quirra Test Range, Sardinia. These ranges have been used to test NATO systems and ESRO sounding rockets in addition to Italian missiles and rockets. Space associated research, as all other national-level research, is administered through the CNR. Following a reorganization in 1968, the CNR established the Inter-Committee Commission for the Study of Space Problems (CISP) to coordinate the national effort in the study of space (basic research) and the Space Activity Service (SAS) to manage the more applied aspects of space research and development. The SAS manages all activities involved in Italy's participation in the European Launcher Development Organization (ELDO), the European


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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200080002-5