Italy and France last night signed a letter of intent to create a joint industrial center for ground defense, in which companies from both countries will participate, the Italian Ministry of Defense said in a statement, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
With the letter, the two countries seek to stimulate the European defense industry.
The announcement came after a meeting on the Mediterranean island of Corsica between Defense Ministers Guido Crozetto and Sebastien Lecornu, who also discussed the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine.
"It is crucial to bring together all the best European technologies and make ever stronger centers, because we will need significant investment to keep up with technological developments," Crozetto said.
A statement from his office said the program would aim to "strengthen Europe's industrial cooperation and defense capabilities through the joint development of new land platforms.
The plan will complement other cooperation initiatives involving French and Italian companies.
Major Italian defense conglomerate Leonardo LDOF.MI has already merged with France's Thales TCFP.PA through two separate joint ventures - satellite services company Telespazio and space product maker Thales Alenia Space, Reuters said.
"The strategic alliance will enable the implementation of joint programs between European nations by strengthening industrial bases and developing the future generation of platforms," the Italian statement said, referring to the planned development of a next-generation tank known as the Main Land Tank combat system (OSBS/MGCS).