Italy Seeks SpaceX’s Help: €1.5 Billion Contract for Satellite and Encryption Services
Daniel Kim Views
The Italian government is moving toward advanced negotiations with Elon Musk’s SpaceX for a €1.5 billion ($1.55 billion) contract to provide secure communications.
While a final agreement on the five-year deal has yet to be reached, anonymous sources revealed on Sunday that the project has already received approval from Italy’s intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Defense.
The deal includes SpaceX supplying the Italian government with comprehensive encryption for phone and internet services.
It also encompasses launching satellite services for Italian military operations in the Mediterranean region, which can be utilized during emergencies such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters.
This development follows Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s unexpected visit to Mar-a-Lago in Florida to meet with President-elect Donald Trump, where she expressed her readiness to work with him.
Meloni has also cultivated a close relationship with billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk.
Reports suggest that Italy plans to test Starlink’s satellite-based connections as early as January to assess their viability for expanding high-speed internet access nationwide.
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