Pistoni made MEADS business chief

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MUNICH, Germany, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Marco Pistoni will be the new business chief for the MEADS International program, U.S. firm Lockheed Martin said.

Pistoni "has been named business management director for MEADS International and the Medium Extended Air Defense System -- MEADS -- program," Lockheed Martin said in a statement last week.

Pistoni "joins the program management team in Orlando on assignment from MBDA Italia S.p.A., and will report to the executive management team of President Jim Cravens -- Lockheed Martin-U.S., Executive Vice President Axel Widera -- LFK-Germany and Technical Director Claudio Ponzi -- MBDA Italia," Lockheed Martin said.

"Before his assignment to MEADS International, Pistoni was security and facilities director reporting to the managing director of MBDA Italia. In this position, he was responsible for industrial security, legal affairs, facilities procurement, maintenance, planning and cost control at MBDA. Previously, he managed the Air-to-Air Missiles Business Unit and international missile programs involving IRIS-T, MEADS, HARM PNU and METEOR. He also worked as program manager for the Aspide missile and Skyguard Weapon System," Lockheed Martin said.

"Before joining MBDA Italia’s predecessor Selenia in 1990, Pistoni attained the rank of commander in the Italian Navy during a 17-year career," the statement said.

Lockheed Martin described MEADS as "a mobile air and missile defense system designed to replace Patriot systems in the United States and Germany and Nike Hercules systems in Italy. It also meets the requirements of Germany’s 'capabilities oriented' air and missile defense concept."

"MEADS will provide capabilities beyond any other fielded or planned air and missile defense system. It will be easily deployed to a theater of operations and once there, will keep pace with fast-moving maneuver forces. When completed, MEADS will be the only air and missile defense system able to roll off tactical transports with the troops and almost immediately begin operations," the company said.

Lockheed Martin said MEADS open architecture "would provide for 21st century air and missile defense system-of-system integration capabilities that allow operational mission-tailoring for homeland defense or defense of maneuver forces. MEADS will also provide greater firepower with less manpower than current systems."