Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and Leonardo signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Singapore Airshow on 20 February 2024.
The partnership will see the two organisations collaborate to advance technology innovation, foster talent development, and build up the long-term supportability of Leonardo systems operated by the Singapore Armed Forces.
Under the MoU, DSTA will collaborate with Leonardo - one of the market leaders in designing and supplying systems and products for naval defence and maritime surveillance - in harnessing the company’s expertise in naval gun and underwater technologies to explore use cases for Singapore’s context.
DSTA also aims to nurture local talent through internship programmes and technical domain courses in areas of Leonardo’s expertise. In addition, both parties will explore building technical support to enhance the system service level further.
DSTA’s Deputy Chief Executive (Operations) Mr. Roy Chan said, “DSTA continues to be focused in delivering cutting-edge solutions through innovation and bolstering the technical proficiencies of our people. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with Leonardo – I’m confident that this collaboration will propel us to new heights, ensuring our team is well-equipped to address the dynamic challenges in this complex world.”
“Thanks to consolidated experience and continuous investment in key technologies, such as digitization, Leonardo is able to respond to surveillance and control needs of the surface and underwater space, both domains characterized by complex scenarios,” said Mr. Marco De Fazio, Managing Director of Leonardo’s Electronics Division.
“This agreement with DSTA is an important step to further spread the knowledge of our systems and to explore together future growth potential,” De Fazio added.
The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is a top-notch technology organisation that drives innovation and delivers state-of-the-art capabilities to make the Singapore Armed Forces a formidable fighting force. Harnessing and exploiting science and technology, DSTA’s engineers and IT professionals leverage multi-disciplinary expertise to equip soldiers with advanced systems to defend Singapore. DSTA also contributes its technological expertise to support national-level developments. To achieve its mission, DSTA excels in systems engineering, digitalised platforms, cyber, software development and more.
Leonardo is a leading global Aerospace, Defence and Security (AD&S) company. With 51,000 employees worldwide, it operates in the fields of Helicopters, Electronics, Aircraft, Cyber & Security and Space, and is a key partner in major international programmes including Eurofighter, NH-90, FREMM, GCAP and Eurodrone. Leonardo has significant industrial capabilities in Italy, the UK, Poland, and the US and also operates through subsidiaries, joint ventures and stakes, including Leonardo DRS (72.3%), MBDA (25%), ATR (50%), Hensoldt (25.1%), Telespazio (67%), Thales Alenia Space (33%) and Avio (29.6%).
Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), Leonardo reported new orders of €17.3 billion in 2022, with an order backlog of €37.5 billion and consolidated revenues of €14.7 billion. The company is included in the MIB ESG index and has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) since 2010.
