ROME—The Five Star Movement assemblywoman, Tatiano Basilio, echoed her movement’s calls for Italy to scrap its controversial F35 Defence Program, in favour for greater investment in cyber defence and intelligence, she said at a press conference.

“We uphold that the program of the F35s is useless and expensive and for this reason it should be shut down as soon as possible,” she told Italian media.

Italy became the first country outside the United States to take delivery of the state-of-the-art F35 fighter jets in Dec. 2016. A large amount of media coverage surrounded the arrival of the first Isreali and Duthc F35s, however, the Italian Air Force have kept a much lower profile on the issue.

As it stands, the Italian government’s plan is to acquire 90 F-35s to replace the aircraft currently being used by the air force.

Grillo’s supporters also clamoured for cuts to other weapons systems with the aim of directing funding to more innovative areas such as cyber security and intelligence.

Senator Bruno Marton of M5S said, “for a true defence policy it’s necessary to change the approach. The point is not to not invest but how we invest.”

Additionally, M5S proposes a rebalancing of the military hierarchy that will reduce the number of commanders in favour for more men on the ground.

“Italy is last in Europe in terms of recognising the rights of the military, it’s unacceptable” said MS5 senator Emmanuela Corda.

“We want more rights for our people, we want that the military also has their own syndicate, as decided by recent judgements,” she added.

MS5 also revealed that expenditure on defence is constantly increasing, rising 21 percent in the last three budgets.

“At the moment Italy is grossly unprepared to defend itself against concrete threats of the present and the future, from terrorism to cyber war,” said congressman Vincenzo Santangelo.

“If armed tanks, naval ships and bombs are not of any use to preventing attacks, now it time for more intelligence on the ground and online. “

“In order to defend ourselves from IT attacks that are potentially capable of bringing an entire country to its knees, massive investments in cyber defence are needed, that today are completely lacking,” added the M5S congressman.

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