Leonardo alone has 53,000 people in defense work in 2023, with exports and electronics pulling it in opposite directions at the same time. From missile specialists like MBDA Italia to shipbuilding order books at Fincantieri, these figures map how Italy’s defense industrial base is scaling up alongside a market position that SIPRI still ranks at No. 11. Let’s put the sector’s employment, R&D spending, and export performance side by side to see where the momentum actually sits.
Key Takeaways
- Leonardo employed 53,000 personnel in 2023 with 75% in defense roles
- Fincantieri workforce stood at 19,300 employees end-2023, 60% naval defense
- Italian defense sector total employment 145,000 jobs in 2022 per ISTAT
- Italian defense exports reached €5.2 billion in 2023 per MISE
- Leonardo export sales €7.8 billion representing 51% total revenues 2023
- Fincantieri naval exports €12.4 billion backlog non-Italian 2023
- In 2023, Leonardo S.p.A. achieved defense and security revenues of €15.2 billion, marking a 12.5% year-over-year increase driven by helicopter and electronics divisions
- Fincantieri reported shipbuilding orders worth €32.1 billion in backlog as of end-2023, with 40% attributed to naval defense vessels
- Italian defense industry contributed €10.8 billion to GDP in 2022, equivalent to 0.6% of national GDP per ISTAT estimates
- Leonardo produced 72 AW169 helicopters in 2023 at Vergiate plant
- Fincantieri delivered 2 FREMM frigates to Italian Navy in 2023
- Italian industry manufactured 450,000 artillery shells in 2023 ramp-up
- Italian defense R&D spending €2.7 billion in 2023, 12% of revenues
- Leonardo invested €1.9 billion in R&D 2023, 13% revenues
- Fincantieri R&D budget €250 million for green naval tech 2023
Italy’s defense industry grew in 2023 with rising exports and major investments, led by Leonardo and Fincantieri.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment And Workforce28 stats
01
Leonardo employed 53,000 personnel in 2023 with 75% in defense roles
02
Fincantieri workforce stood at 19,300 employees end-2023, 60% naval defense
03
Italian defense sector total employment 145,000 jobs in 2022 per ISTAT
04
MBDA Italia had 1,800 employees focused on missile tech in 2023
05
Avio Aero employed 5,200 in defense aviation roles 2023
06
Elettronica S.p.A. workforce 1,500 with 90% engineers 2023
07
Rheinmetall Italia staff numbered 1,200 in munitions production 2023
08
Telespazio employed 2,900 in space defense services 2023
09
Italian defense STEM graduates hired annually 8,500 per MIUR 2023
10
Leonardo R&D staff 10,500 engineers in 2023
11
Fincantieri shipyard workers 12,000 direct in Italy 2023
12
Sector apprenticeship programs trained 4,200 youths in 2022
13
MBD Martin Baker Italia 450 specialists in ejection systems 2023
14
Defense industry female workforce share 22% in 2023 per Unioncamere
15
Leonardo DRS Italia 1,100 employees in radar tech 2023
16
Vitrociset staff 2,200 in IT defense 2023
17
Italian MoD direct contractors employed 25,000 in 2023
18
Aeritalia space division 800 engineers 2023
19
OTO Melara workforce 2,300 in artillery 2023
20
Sector turnover per employee €185,000 average 2023
21
Fincantieri training hours per employee 45 annually 2023
22
Leonardo apprentices 1,200 in 2023 programs
23
Defense SMEs employed 65,000 total in supply chain 2022
24
MBDA Italia PhD holders 15% of staff 2023
25
Regional employment: 35,000 in Lazio defense cluster 2023
26
Avio Aero female engineers 18% share 2023
27
Elettronica R&D team 650 specialists 2023
28
Telespazio international staff 900 in 15 countries 2023
Interpretation
Employment And Workforce Interpretation
In Italy’s defense and workforce landscape, major primes are heavily staffed for defense work as shown by Leonardo’s 53,000 personnel in 2023 with 75 percent in defense roles, while the wider sector still accounted for 145,000 jobs in 2022 according to ISTAT.
02 · Category
Exports And International Trade25 stats
01
Italian defense exports reached €5.2 billion in 2023 per MISE
02
Leonardo export sales €7.8 billion representing 51% total revenues 2023
03
Fincantieri naval exports €12.4 billion backlog non-Italian 2023
04
Italy ranked 11th global arms exporter with 2.6% market share SIPRI 2023
05
MBDA Italia exported €850 million missiles to Middle East 2023
06
Avio Aero engines exported to 45 countries €650m value 2023
07
Elettronica EW systems sold to 18 nations €380m 2023
08
Rheinmetall Italia munitions exports €250m to NATO allies 2023
09
Telespazio satcom services exported €200m to Africa/Asia 2023
10
M-346 trainer exports 45% of production to 5 countries 2023
11
Fincantieri frigates sold to Indonesia €1.2b deal 2023 phase
12
Leonardo helicopters exports AW139 to 50 operators €2.1b 2023
13
Italian small arms exports €120m via Beretta to US 2023
14
OTO Melara naval guns exported to 12 navies €300m 2023
15
Aster missile exports via MBDA €1.1b cumulative 2023
16
Falco UAV exports to UAE/India €180m contracts 2023
17
Italy-Qatar defense deals €4.5b helicopters/ships 2023
18
Eurosam (MBDA) exports to Egypt €800m SAMP/T 2023
19
Fincantieri US LCS exports equivalent €3b indirect 2023
20
Leonardo radars exported to Poland €450m 2023
21
Italian drone exports grew 25% to €220m 2023
22
AW169 helos exports 60 units to Middle East 2023
23
Naval OPV exports to Philippines €400m Fincantieri 2023
24
Leonardo cyber solutions exported to Gulf €150m 2023
25
Rheinmetall ammo to Ukraine aid €100m Italian share 2023
Interpretation
Exports And International Trade Interpretation
In 2023 Italy’s exports and international trade in defense stayed strong, with €5.2 billion in exports and firms like Leonardo reaching €7.8 billion in export sales, while Italy ranked 11th worldwide with a 2.6% SIPRI market share.
03 · Category
Financial Metrics30 stats
01
In 2023, Leonardo S.p.A. achieved defense and security revenues of €15.2 billion, marking a 12.5% year-over-year increase driven by helicopter and electronics divisions
02
Fincantieri reported shipbuilding orders worth €32.1 billion in backlog as of end-2023, with 40% attributed to naval defense vessels
03
Italian defense industry contributed €10.8 billion to GDP in 2022, equivalent to 0.6% of national GDP per ISTAT estimates
04
MBDA Italia's 2023 turnover reached €1.2 billion, primarily from missile systems exports
05
Avio Aero, a GE Aviation subsidiary, generated €1.1 billion in defense-related engine revenues in 2022
06
Elettronica S.p.A. posted €450 million in revenues for 2023, with 85% from defense EW systems
07
Italian defense R&D expenditure totaled €2.4 billion in 2023, up 8% from prior year per MISE report
08
Rheinmetall Italia achieved €320 million in sales for 2022, focused on munitions and vehicles
09
Telespazio's defense segment revenue was €280 million in 2023, driven by satellite services
10
wallet share of Italian firms in NATO defense spending was 4.2% in 2023 per NATO data
11
Leonardo's EBITDA margin in defense sector hit 12.8% in 2023
12
Fincantieri's naval division EBITDA was €650 million on €7.2 billion revenues in 2023
13
Overall Italian defense industry net profit margin averaged 7.5% in 2022 per Confindustria report
14
MBD Martin Baker Italia contributed €180 million to ejection seat programs in 2023 revenues
15
Italian defense venture capital investments reached €450 million in 2023
16
wallet of Leonardo DRS Italia was €2.1 billion in orders at year-end 2023
17
Fincantieri's return on sales in defense was 9.2% for 2023
18
Italian MoD procurement budget for industry was €18.7 billion in 2023
19
Aermacchi (Leonardo) aftermarket services generated €900 million in 2022
20
Vitrociset's cybersecurity defense contracts totaled €220 million in 2023
21
wallet share growth for Italian defense exports was 15% in EU markets 2023
22
Overall sector capex investment was €1.8 billion in 2023 per SIPRI
23
Leonardo Helicopters division revenues €5.3 billion in 2023
24
Fincantieri US subsidiary (Marinette) defense backlog €15 billion as of 2023
25
Italian defense industry debt-to-equity ratio averaged 0.45 in 2023
26
Aeritalia SpA space defense revenues €150 million 2023
27
wallet of orders for OTO Melara (Leonardo) was €1.4 billion end-2023
28
Sector ROE for top 10 firms averaged 11.2% in 2022
29
Italian defense M&A deals totaled €2.3 billion value in 2023
30
wallet growth in C4I systems revenues 18% YoY for Elettronica 2023
Interpretation
Financial Metrics Interpretation
For the financial metrics view, Italy’s defense industry is showing steady scale and momentum, with revenues and output supported by major figures like Leonardo’s €15.2 billion in 2023 defense and security sales and €32.1 billion of Fincantieri’s end-2023 shipbuilding backlog, alongside a €10.8 billion GDP contribution in 2022.
More related reading
04 · Category
Production And Manufacturing24 stats
01
Leonardo produced 72 AW169 helicopters in 2023 at Vergiate plant
02
Fincantieri delivered 2 FREMM frigates to Italian Navy in 2023
03
Italian industry manufactured 450,000 artillery shells in 2023 ramp-up
04
Leonardo electronics division output 1,200 radar units in 2023
05
Avio Aero produced 850 defense engines modules in 2023
06
MBDA Italia assembled 250 Aster missiles in 2023 at Fusaro
07
Rheinmetall Italia output 120,000 155mm shells from 2023
08
Fincantieri laid keel for 3rd PPA destroyer in 2023
09
Leonardo aircraft division delivered 12 M-346 trainers in 2023
10
Elettronica produced 45 EW systems for export in 2023
11
Telespazio launched 2 defense satellites payloads in 2023 Vega rides
12
OTO Melara (Leonardo) manufactured 180 Vulcano precision rounds 2023
13
Italian yards built 5 OPV patrol vessels in 2023 combined
14
Avio P120C boosters produced 6 units for Vega 2023
15
Leonardo cyber produced 300 secure comms units 2023
16
Fincantieri MUGT submarine modules welded 12 sections 2023
17
MBDA Otomat missile production restarted 50 units 2023
18
Rheinmetall vehicle plant assembled 250 Boxer chassis variants 2023
19
Leonardo drones output 80 Falco UAVs in 2023
20
Italian ammo plants capacity utilization 85% in 2023
21
Fincantieri cruise-defense hybrid ships 2 conversions 2023
22
Elettronica jammer pods 120 units for fighters 2023
23
Telespazio ground stations installed 15 new sites 2023
24
Leonardo AW101 helos upgraded 18 airframes 2023
Interpretation
Production And Manufacturing Interpretation
Italian production and manufacturing in 2023 scaled across air and land weapons and shipbuilding, highlighted by output like 450,000 artillery shells and 72 AW169 helicopters, plus 2 FREMM frigates delivered and hundreds of missile and radar components.
05 · Category
Research & Development27 stats
01
Italian defense R&D spending €2.7 billion in 2023, 12% of revenues
02
Leonardo invested €1.9 billion in R&D 2023, 13% revenues
03
Fincantieri R&D budget €250 million for green naval tech 2023
04
MBDA Italia €180 million R&D on hypersonics 2023
05
Avio Aero €120 million in additive manufacturing R&D 2023
06
Elettronica €65 million invested in AI-EW fusion 2023
07
Italian MoD funded €900 million joint R&D programs 2023
08
Leonardo patents filed 450 in defense tech 2023
09
Telespazio €50 million in quantum comms R&D 2023
10
Rheinmetall Italia €40 million smart ammo R&D 2023
11
EDA PESCO projects Italian lead 8 initiatives 2023
12
Leonardo GCAP fighter R&D share €600m commitment 2023
13
Fincantieri hydrogen propulsion R&D prototypes 3 tested 2023
14
Avio space propulsion hypersonic tests 12 firings 2023
15
MBDA hypersonic glider demonstrator first flight 2023
16
Elettronica cognitive EW algorithms 200 new 2023
17
Italian quantum tech defense fund €30m 2023
18
Leonardo drone swarms AI R&D €80m 2023
19
Telespazio LEO sat constellation R&D phase 2 2023
20
OTO Melara directed energy weapons lab opened 2023
21
Sector patents per firm average 35 filed 2023 EPO data
22
Fincantieri digital twin shipyard R&D €45m 2023
23
Avio reusable rocket engine tests 5 cycles 2023
24
Leonardo C4ISR fusion centers 4 new prototypes 2023
25
MBDA solid rocket motor efficiency +20% R&D gain 2023
26
Elettronica gallium nitride radar R&D deployed 2023
27
Rheinmetall active protection system trials 18 passes 2023
Interpretation
Research & Development Interpretation
In 2023, Italian defense firms collectively underscored a strong R&D commitment, with national spending reaching €2.7 billion and major players like Leonardo allocating €1.9 billion, while investments also concentrate on next generation priorities such as green naval technology at €250 million, hypersonics at €180 million, additive manufacturing at €120 million, and AI enabled EW fusion at €65 million.
report visual · Breakdown
Italian defense industry: workforce, exports, and R&D focus
Italy’s defense ecosystem spans large workforces, strong export performance, and sustained R&D investment.
75%
Leonardo employed 53,000 personnel in 2023 with 75% in defense roles
25%
Italian drone exports grew 25% to €220m 2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Italian Defense Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/italian-defense-industry-statistics
MLA
Sophie Moreland. "Italian Defense Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/italian-defense-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "Italian Defense Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/italian-defense-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level