BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 2 - 05-902913: ALENIA SPAZIO

UNCLAS ROME 005146 SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/DTCC - AMAGOULAS, BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR; PM/PP/OTC - GANZER; EUR/WE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETTC IT KOMC BLUE LANTERN SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 2 - 05-902913: ALENIA SPAZIO REF: SECSTATE 305048 ¶1. THIS IS A RESPONSE TO REFTEL ACTION REQUEST, WITH ADDITIONAL PRE-LICENSE INFORMATION ON APPLICATION NUMBER 05-902913, CONCERNING THE EXPORT OF FUSES FROM AEM HOLDING INC. TO ALENIA SPAZIO FOR USE IN THE COSMO SKYMED SATELLITE PROGRAM. ¶2. ECONOFFS SPOKE WITH ALESSANDRO MAZZACCHERA AS INSTRUCTED BY REFTEL AND RECEIVED ON NOVEMBER 5 A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF REPLIES TO END-USE QUESTIONS FROM MAZZACCHERA AND SANDRO FAGIOLI, DIRECTOR OF THE COSMO SKYMED PROGRAM. THE MAIN POINTS OF THESE REPLIES FOLLOW, AS TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN BY THE OFFICIAL EMBASSY TRANSLATOR: ¶3. BEGIN TEXT FROM ALENIA SPAZIO: ALENIA SPAZIO REQUESTED 4500 FUSES, TYPE 526-31AN41-153 (GB42JM82-H49C),PRODUCED BY AEM HOLDING, USA. THESE COMPONENTS WILL BE INSTALLED BY ALENIA SPAZIO ON AN ELECTRONIC UNIT CALLED "EFE". THE OVERALL QUANTITY OF FUSES INCLUDES STOCK TO ACCOUNT FOR STANDARD BREAKAGE OR OTHER DEFECTS, A STANDARD PRACTICE IN SATELLITE PRODUCTION. EACH EFE UNIT REQUIRES EIGHT FUSES, AND EACH COSMO SATELLITE INCLUDES 160 EFE UNITS, FOR A TOTAL OF 1280 FUSES PER FLIGHT. THE PRODUCTION OF EACH SATELLITE INCLUDES A RESERVE OF 130 FUSES, ACCORDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS. THREE COSMO SATELLITE FLIGHTS, INCLUDING THE 130 UNIT RESERVE FOR EACH ONE, COMES TO A TOTAL OF 4230 FUSES, WHICH WE HAVE ROUNDED UP TO 4500. THIS TYPE OF DEVICE DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY PARTICULAR SECURITY RESTRICTION, BUT IS PART OF THE NORMAL MANUFACTURING AND STORAGE PROCESSES. TOPREL IS THE INTERMEDIATE CONSIGNEE, WHO WILL BE BUYING THE FUSES FOR THE END-USER, ALENIA SPAZIO. TOPREL IS LOCATED AT VIA PER CASAMASSIMA KM3, VALENZANO, BARI 70010. TEL 080-467-0497, FAX 080-467-0501, EMAIL TOPREL@TOPREL.COM. PRIMARY CONTACT IS GIUSEPPE MAGLIETTA. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR END-USER ALENIA SPAZIO IS AS FOLLOWS: ALENIA SPAZIO SPA, VIA SACCOMURO 24, ROME 00131. TEL 06-4151-4108, FAX 06-4151-4206, EMAIL A.MAZZACCHERA@ROMA.ALESPAZIO.IT. PRIMARY CONTACT IS ALESSANDRO MAZZACCHERA. NATURE OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES: SATELLITE PROGRAM "COSMO SKYMED." EXACT NATURE AND PURPOSE OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CONDUCTED: EARTH SENSING MISSION. SPECIFIC OPERATIONS TO BE PERFORMED BY THE COMPONENTS PURCHASED: INSTALLATION ON EQUIPMENT CALLED EFE (ELECTRONIC FRONT END) OF COSMO SATELLITE. END TEXT. ¶4. BASED ON THE THOROUGH AND OPEN NATURE OF ALENIA SPAZIO'S DISCLOSURE, EMBASSY BELIEVES THE FINDING IS SATISFACTORY. PLEASE ADVISE IF ANY FURTHER POST ACTION OR FOLLOW-UP IS REQUIRED. SKODON NNNN 2003ROME05146 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED