Europe and its strategic partners face growing security challenges, ranging in scale and intensity. These challenges require innovative responses, leading to a growing need for cutting edge capabilities, as well as a tighter connection between the defence industry sectors of both sides of the Atlantic.
The ATA General Assembly and the European Defense Industry Summit, together have significant implications for the security of the Euro-Atlantic Community.
For 70 years, the Transatlantic Bond has allowed us to maintain a qualitative and technological edge over those that seek to undermine our unity and democracy.
As Europe and its transatlantic Allies face the same global threats, the opportunity for fostering a tighter relation between defence technology and our industrial bases is essential.
To this end, this Summit allow us to exchange knowledge, promote technological innovations, and deepen the manufacturing of our joint systems.
In fact, a strong Euro-Atlantic strategic partnership relies on the capabilities of its members. With economic growth on the rise – for the first time since the financial-crisis – the new complex set of security threats can be finally addressed with the horizon of the 2% rule.
To this end, ATA is strongly supporting the strategic partnership and cooperation between NATO and EU by developing concrete initiatives, in Brussels and all over the Euro-Atlantic area. In particular, ATA has focused its activities on counter-terrorism, hybrid warfare and the cyber domain.
Our action is also devoted on the engagement of SMEs in the defense sector, particularly in areas of knowledge sharing, technical assistance, early warning systems, and cyber security. Currently, there are more than 1300 European SMEs that contribute to the defence supply chain with highly efficient niche goods and services. This has been a key area of work for ATA, that has initiated the foundation of the first “Small-Medium Enterprise Advisory Group”, which lead us to focus, on a daily basis, with implementing policies and strategies aimed at developing new and cutting-edge technologies.
As we all are aware, technology is always evolving. However, sometimes not to our benefit. The cyber domain and the progress of Artificial Intelligence, represent new challenges as well as an opportunity for development. Creating innovative technologies is essential to effectively cope with the security concerns of tomorrow.
Finally, the role of academia constitutes a critical asset for ATA. Scientific research needs to work alongside with industry innovation to beneficing the defense sector of the Euro Atlantic Area.
Since more than 60 years, ATA represents a unique platform able to connect selected defense industries with the academic and scientific dimension, the political elites, military departments, decision makers, specialized media and the successor generations, in order to exchange best practices and explore new opportunities to stimulate innovation and maximize the efficiency of Euro-Atlantic defense spending.
By promoting, coordinating and organizing an average of 500 initiatives per year, ATA and its 38 national associations, will continue to serve, alongside our NATO, EU and industry partners, to ensure that our technologies and capabilities remain at the cutting edge and will keep our transatlantic community free, whole and at peace.
Opening Remarks delivered by President Fabrizio W. Luciolli at the European Defense Industry Summit organized in Brussels, Palais d’Egmont, December 4, on occasion of the 63rd ATA General Assembly.
Program