Italy in talks over $1.5 billion SpaceX security services contract, Bloomberg News Reuters reports
(Reuters) – Italy is in advanced talks with Elon Musk’s SpaceX over a 1.5 billion euro ($1.55 billion) contract for the company to provide secure telecommunications to the government, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday.
Discussions are ongoing and a final agreement on the five-year contract has not been reached, but the project has already been approved by Italian intelligence and the Ministry of Defense, the report said, citing unnamed sources.
SpaceX and the Italian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment outside regular business hours.
The report said the deal includes SpaceX supplying Italy with a full range of encryption for phone and internet services used by the government.
It also includes communications services for the Italian military in the Mediterranean area and the introduction of satellite services in Italy for use in emergencies such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters, it said.
The news comes after Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni said Sunday she was ready to work with Donald Trump after making a surprise visit to his Mar-a-Lago Florida residence to meet the president-elect ahead of his January 20 inauguration.
Meloni has also forged a close relationship with billionaire tech executive Elon Musk, a close Trump ally.
Reuters reported last month that Italy plans to start tests as early as January to see if the satellite connectivity offered by Musk’s Starlink is a viable solution to boost the country’s rollout of high-speed internet.
($1 = 0.9708 euros)
