Hearing of Minister Crosetto before the Senate of the Republic

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Defense Minister Guido Crosetto appeared today before the Senate Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for a hearing on Bill No. 2028 (Strengthening and Adapting National Defense Capabilities).

The bill on strengthening and adapting national defense capabilities aims to make the military more modern, joint, technologically advanced, and capable of responding rapidly to evolving threats.

“This is a reform designed for the future of defense and the country. It is not the reform of a single minister or political party: it stems from the needs expressed by the Armed Forces and looks ahead to the years to come.”

Among the key measures:

•  strengthening the response to hybrid threats;
•  enhancing cyber dominance and introducing the Military Cyber Specialist;
•  updating regulations governing unmanned systems;
•  increasing joint operations within the Armed Forces;
•  accelerating procurement and technological development processes, including through fast prototyping;
•  support for military scientific and technological research;
•  simplification of contractual and certification procedures;
•  strengthening cooperation with partner countries and the defense industrial and technological base;
•  measures regarding defense infrastructure and assets.

Personnel and Manpower

The issue of personnel, manpower, and the Reserve has not been set aside. It will be addressed in a second bill, which, however, requires multi-year funding to be identified within the framework of the budget law.

The bill currently under consideration by Parliament therefore focuses on strengthening the capabilities, organization, and tools of the Department of Defense, in order to rapidly adapt them to new operational requirements.

“Threats change rapidly. We must enable the Department of Defense to change just as quickly, building today the tools that the country will need in the years to come.”