Goretti in Leonardo USA and Credendino in Orizzonte Sistemi Navali: authority that makes the difference

In a sensitive sector like defense, slogans, the right friendships, or “curricula” built through visibility are not enough. Method, responsibility, risk culture, the habit of making decisions with incomplete information, and – above all – an ethical compass that doesn't change with the wind are needed. This is where the employment of veterans and senior officers in industrial roles can become an added value: they bring professionalism, authority, and an operational vision that is often lacking in those who, without ever having worn a uniform, improvise themselves as the “Rommel of the new millennium.”

In a world where nepotism and carelessness can erode our excellences, “service-certified” competence is an antidote: not because a military past makes one automatically infallible, but because it adds a concrete dimension to industrial governance. Provided, of course, that appointments are transparent, merit-based, and accompanied by clear rules on conflicts of interest and cooling-off periods.

Leonardo US Inc.: industrial presence and credibility in the American market

In the United States, the Italian group operates through a dedicated structure: Leonardo US Inc. presents itself as an “international subsidiary” of the Leonardo group, with its legal headquarters in North Carolina. In a complex market like the American one – where reputation, reliability over the long life cycle of systems, and the ability to engage with institutional apparatuses matter – credibility is an asset as much as technology.

In this context, the case of General Luca Goretti, former Chief of Staff of the Air Force, is inserted: according to reports, he is set to become president of Leonardo USA, indicated as a 100% subsidiary of the Italian parent company. Beyond the single appointment, the message is clear: bringing people accustomed to rigorous standards, chains of responsibility, and a culture of results into the control room reduces the risk of “living room” decisions and raises the bar of authority towards clients and partners.

Orizzonte Sistemi Navali S.p.A.: naval integration as a “country system”

On the naval front, the other piece is Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (often also referred to as OSM in some informational contexts): it is a specialized entity that has been operating for over twenty years as a “Whole Warship” system integrator throughout the ship's life cycle. The corporate structure sees Fincantieri at 51% and Leonardo at 49%. It is, in fact, a meeting point between shipbuilding and systems: where integration, operational requirements, logistical support, and complexity management make the difference.

It is not an abstract detail: OSN is involved in strategic programs and, for example, in 2024 a contract worth 1.5 billion euros for two new FREMM EVO frigates for the Italian Navy was announced. Moreover, in the public narrative about the FREMM program, Orizzonte Sistemi Navali is mentioned as the Italian counterpart of the joint project with France.

Here too, the “competence chain” comes into play: Admiral Enrico Credendino – coming from the Navy – is indicated as rising to the top of Orizzonte Sistemi Navali. What can such a profile bring? Direct knowledge of operational needs, the real pace of missions, interoperability constraints, and the compromises between performance, maintenance, and sustainability: exactly what is needed when the industry must transform technology into concrete capability.

Meritocracy as a condition: experience must be channeled, not idolized

Supporting the employment of veterans does not mean creating automatisms or “preferential lanes.” It means recognizing that, in a sector where national security, advanced technology, and international credibility are at stake, some skills are rare and precious. The condition is clear: meritocratic selection, measurable objectives, transparent processes, and serious checks on incompatibilities and conflicts of interest.

If we want to defend Italian excellences in a tough global competition, we must choose those who can bear the weight of decisions. And often those who have served in uniform, without improvising as keyboard strategists, bring precisely that mix of realism, discipline, and sense of the State that can make the difference, both for Leonardo S.p.A. and for Fincantieri S.p.A..