Italy seals historic $1.6bn communications deal with SpaceX
The Italian government is in advanced talks with Elon Musk's company to secure government communications. The $1.6 billion contract, equivalent to about CAD 2.2 billion, will be implemented over five years. This is the largest project of its kind in Europe and has already received approval from Italian intelligence services and the Ministry of Defence.
According to information provided to Bloomberg on Sunday by individuals familiar with the matter, Italy is finalizing negotiations with SpaceX to ensure secure communications for its government institutions.
The discussions involve a contract that will be effective for the next five years. Representatives of the Italian government emphasize that this will be the largest undertaking of its kind in Europe.
Elon Musk with a contract
Sourced participants in the negotiations indicate that the project has already been approved by Italian intelligence and the Ministry of Defence. The contract is valued at $1.6 billion (CAD 2.2 billion). SpaceX is set to provide a secure telecommunications infrastructure for Italy's public sector.
The project will be handled by Elon Musk's company, Starlink, which specializes in satellite internet services. While a final agreement has yet to be signed, ongoing discussions continue.
Italy chooses SpaceX
The Italian services have emphasized that the contract with SpaceX holds strategic importance for the nation’s cybersecurity. The project is expected to be executed in close cooperation with local specialized services, which will supervise the system's implementation.
Information about the proposed contract surfaced while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was visiting Florida. During her visit, she met with former U.S. President Donald Trump. However, the specifics of this visit have not been connected to the telecommunications contract discussions.
