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In an interrogation with Kathimerini, the president of Lockheed Martin International, Michael Williamson, discusses the evolving quality of warfare amid an progressively analyzable planetary information environment. He emphasizes the captious value of interoperability and connectivity crossed defence systems, noting that the improvement of integrated aerial and rocket defence has go 1 of the top strategic priorities for allied nations. Williamson besides underscores the extent of the US-Greece defence partnership, refers to his caller treatment with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis successful New York, and confirms that the transportation of F-35 craft to Greece will proceed according to the agreed timelines.
President Donald Trump’s economical strategy places strong accent connected exports, with American defence items astatine the very top of that list. How are you adjusting your ain readying successful response, particularly fixed the expanding planetary request for precocious platforms similar the F-35?
That’s a truly bully question and it goes to the bosom of however we’re evolving. One illustration is our important concern successful our installation successful Poland, which not lone produces cardinal components for US capabilities, but has besides go 1 of the largest exporters of defence instrumentality from Poland to different countries. We spot this arsenic a exemplary we tin replicate successful aggregate locations. Right now, our teams are exploring partnerships crossed the Nordics, Central Europe, Eastern and Western Europe. In these partnerships, we’re not lone manufacturing captious components, but successful some cases we’re besides licensing technologies so they tin beryllium produced in-country. This gives nations indigenous concern capability, strengthens section economies, and ultimately makes our allies much self-reliant and resilient.
While you’re expanding abroad, the president is emphasizing homeland defence against domestic, alternatively than foreign, threats. How bash you view this strategic shift?
I won’t remark connected however the US authorities prioritizes its defence efforts. What I tin accidental is that arsenic the United States continues to strengthen its homeland defence capabilities, we judge we are well positioned to support that mission, peculiarly done our integrated aerial and rocket defence systems. With the operation of our effectors, sensors and command-and-control capabilities, we tin present a layered and effectual defence λύση that aligns with the requirements we’re proceeding from the US government.
You mentioned integrated aerial and rocket defence and that has been a cardinal precedence successful aggregate regions. What bash you spot arsenic the astir important elements for gathering an effectual system?
Integrated aerial and rocket defence is intelligibly a top precedence – whether we are talking astir Europe, the Pacific, oregon the Middle East. That connection has travel done large and clear. What we’re besides seeing, beyond affordability and timeliness, is increasing collaboration. It’s nary longer conscionable single nations asking for these capabilities, countries are opening to look astatine however they tin work together. There are two parallel discussions taking place. One is astir specific effectors, peculiar weapon systems that person demonstrated performance. The different is astir integration, the thought of “any sensor, immoderate shooter.” To person a truly effectual capability, you request not lone the weapons, but besides a web of sensors feeding into a robust command-and-control system. When aggregate countries bring their sensors into that network, the system becomes overmuch much powerful. That’s where we bring unique strength. We’ve built precocious systems, but conscionable arsenic importantly, we’ve built them to pass seamlessly. That seamless connectivity is what makes the difference. Our conversations with customers today absorption connected integrated solutions – leveraging their existing sensors, adding caller ones, and tying them each to a command-and-control architecture linked to the close effectors. That’s the look for effectiveness, and it’s where we’re applying our expertise to present capableness that is some affordable and timely.
Talking astir interoperability and connectivity, there are allies who ain a premix of US and non-US systems similar the S-400. Are you assured that American technology, tin stay afloat safeguarded?
I’m not going to remark connected government-to-government discussions and decisions. We person enactment successful spot systems to guarantee information is maintained. As for different decisions that are government-dependent, it would beryllium unfair for maine to remark connected those.
We talked astir the increasing planetary request for precocious platforms, but astatine the aforesaid time, low-cost systems such arsenic drones are being produced and used extensively connected the battlefield, reshaping modern warfare. How bash you spot this trend affecting US defence strategy and procurement and what steps are you taking to guarantee large programs similar the F-35 stay applicable successful this caller era?
That topic is astatine the forefront of galore discussions. Clearly we’re seeing drones and akin systems used crossed air, onshore and sea. I’m an aged soldier, and I tend to think there are very fewer true revolutions successful subject affairs, fewer things that wholly alteration however wars are fought. Autonomous and robotic systems are a caller facet of the battlefield, but they’re not a wholesale replacement for high-end platforms. My content is that high-end systems – similar the F-35 and different precocious air, onshore and oversea platforms – alteration and multiply the value of the cheaper systems. If drones unsocial were decisive, conflicts would already beryllium decided solely by drones, that hasn’t happened. Do drones power outcomes? Absolutely. But they won’t regenerate halfway capabilities. The existent question is the optimal premix of high-end and low-end systems, and however to employment them together for effect. We’re successful a play of evolution, users will find equilibrium and defence planners indispensable guarantee these capabilities are tied together effectively, not wantonness large programs successful favour of lone buying drones.
These low-cost systems are not lone cheaper but tin besides beryllium produced overmuch faster. So, if an state placed an bid for F-35s today, however agelong would it realistically take earlier delivery?
That’s a hard question to pin down to a specific date, due to the fact that the process involves some the US authorities and the F-35 spouse community. Ultimately, it’s the US authorities and the programme bureau that find sequencing and transportation schedules. What I tin accidental is that we presently nutrient astir 156 F-35 craft per year. Countries that person already placed orders are successful the accumulation pipeline and deliveries are sequenced based connected US authorities agreements and programme priorities. Our relation is to conscionable that accumulation target consistently and guarantee we present connected docket erstwhile the series is determined.
Greece is successful this pipeline for the F-35 and is besides modernizing its F-16 fleet. How bash you view the trajectory of the US-Greece defence relationship?
I think it’s a very special relationship. In fact, I had the accidental to speak with your premier curate during UN week and we emphasized two cardinal points: first, however overmuch we value the US-Greece defence partnership, and second, our committedness to staying connected docket with some the F-16 upgrade programme and the transportation of fifth-generation aircraft. I tin tell you that we are connected clip and we are connected schedule.
Michael Williamson, the president of Lockheed Martin International, is seen with Kathimerini’s Washington correspondent, Lena Argiri.
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