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Italian Defense Industry Giant Leonardo Opens its Office in PAKISTAN:

It seems that 2019 brings more good news for all the PAKISTANI’s as the Italian Defense Industry Giant Leonardo inaugurated its first office in the Capital ISLAMABAD. The opening of the Leonardo PAKISTAN was witnessed by number high dignitaries of both the countries, including the Chief Executive Officer of Leonardo International Dr. Lorenzo Mariani, Italian Ambassador to PAKISTAN Stefan Pontecorvo and Leonardi CCO Dr. Marco Buratti. A number of corporate and public officials from both the countries were also present on the occasion.

The new ISLAMABAD office will be the Headquarter of Leonardo PAKISTAN operations. The Chairman and Leader of Leonardo PAKISTAN is Dr. Maurizio Facchin. On the occasion of the inauguration, Leonardo PAKISTAN met with the Senior military leadership of the Host Countries, including the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mehmood Abbasi, and the Minister of Defense Product Zubaida Jalal.

The recent inauguration of Leonardo in Great Country like PAKISTAN opens an opportunity for Western Defense Suppliers to make a direct presence in PAKISTAN for promoting its products in the South Asian Country. As the other European Defense Suppliers have to solely rely on a regional Middle East Office or a domestic agent (third person).

Leonardo PAKISTAN plans to promote its cutting-edge and state of the art product in the large PAKISTANI market and the company has plans to open up to 30 new offices in different parts of the country by 2020-22.

Nevertheless, Leonardo PAKISTAN sees the large PAKISTAN as a viable market, and in other words, the company is willing to bear the consequences of setting-up an official link and presence in PAKISTAN.

As, the company can lose the indian market, but it is worth to mention that the latter company is already on indian’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) blacklist since 2016. So, the recent opening of offices set-up in PAKISTAN would not make any significance on the company’s assets and future market relations with other countries.

Leonardo PAKISTAN has a number of interests in Defense Sector of PAKISTAN, including:

• Leonardo Seaspray 5000/7000-series Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars for use on PAKISTAN Navy’s Sea King Naval Helicopters ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft

• The sale of refurbished Italian Army 155 mm M109L tracked self-propelled howitzers (SPH) for the PAKISTAN ARMY

• The Sale of Augusta Westland AW139 utility Choppers to the PAKISTAN AIR FORCE (PAF), Govt. of PAKISTAN and for domestic users as well. Moreover, PAKISTAN Aeronautical Complex, which is Situated at Kamra, will also establish the state of the art facility to provide the overall maintenance, repairing and overhaul facilities for the Augusta Westland AW139

• PAKISTAN AIR FORCE has used the Grifo-Series radars in PAF Mirage III/5s and F-7P/PG which will be serviced by the Leonardo PAKISTAN

This move will not only expand the offensive and defensive capabilities of PAKISTAN, but it will also open the new expansion opportunity for the Leonardo itself, as the company will have the chance to introduce its cutting-edge and state of the art weapon systems in the competitive market of PAKISTAN.