ALBAWABA - An Italian court has ruled that a contract to install an Israeli-made radar system at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport should be canceled, deciding that the technology should be classified as military equipment, rather than a typical civilian security system.
The ruling suspends a contract given to Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, one of Israel's top defense manufacturers, and allows airport operator Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) 60 days to replace the system with one from Italian defense electronics company ELT (Elettronica S.p.A.)
The radar was supposed to detect drones and other threats in the air, but court-appointed experts determined it had military capabilities that required a distinct procurement process and additional import and operation authorizations.
The court also sent the procurement procedure to the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate if there were any legal or procedural irregularities in the awarding of the contract, as part of the verdict.
The ruling effectively excludes Israeli companies Rafael and Altintech from one of the most strategically vital civilian infrastructure projects in Italy.
“The technical characteristics of the radar, its classification in international regulations on the trade of weapons and its registration in the Italian Ministry of Defense registry of military equipment classify it as military equipment,” say the specialists from the Italian Ministry of Defense, according to the court.
ADR defended the idea, saying the radar is a dual-use device already used at various European airports and can be used for civilian airport security and counter-drone operations. The airport operator said it will comply with the order and maintain airport security during the transition.
The case comes amid increased tensions between Italy and Israel. Earlier this year, the Italian government suspended the automatic renewal of a bilateral defense cooperation agreement with Israel amid rising diplomatic tensions over incidents involving Israeli forces and Italian peacekeepers deployed with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The finding is likely to stir controversy over the deployment of Israeli defense technology in Europe, as governments come under increasing legal and political pressure over their decisions on military purchase.
