Italy is closing in on a deal with the U.S. to become the top maintenance provider for Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 fighter jets in Europe through a unit of state-controlled Finmeccanica SpA, Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said.
“We haven’t got the final word, but they are very open to it,” Pinotti said in an interview in Rome yesterday, referring to her discussions in Washington last week with U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
