Italy returns to the forefront of civil aviation with a project set to redefine global standards in special cargo air transport. At the heart of this challenge is the partnership between Radia Italy and the Campania Aerospace District (DAC), in synergy with the Apulian Aerospace Technological District (DTA), for the WindRunner™ program — the largest aircraft ever built in the world.

The initiative was presented in Naples during the Suppliers Summit, a gathering that brought together companies, institutions, and representatives from academia to outline the future of Italian aeronautics.

According to the roadmap presented by Giuseppe Giordo, President and CEO of Radia Italy, the WindRunner™ will take its first flight in 2029, launching a multi-billion-euro investment plan and creating over 2,500 new jobs across Campania and Apulia. Both regions, already pillars of the national aerospace sector, will serve as the project’s industrial core.

The Campania Aerospace District has taken on a decisive role in this operation, acting as a bridge between industry, research, and institutions. Through its network of over 170 members—including companies, universities, and research centers—the DAC confirms itself as a governance model capable of turning collaboration into tangible innovation.

In his address, President Luigi Carrino firmly reiterated the need for long-term strategic support for the aerospace industry:

“Italy must firmly back the development of next-generation aircraft,” Carrino stated. “It is essential to provide real support to a strategic sector like aerospace, which today represents the only remaining high-technology manufacturing supply chain in our country. Investments in this field not only generate innovation and competitiveness but also produce technological, economic, and employment benefits that extend across numerous other industries.”

Carrino also emphasized the importance of politically strengthening the synergy between Campania and Apulia:

“The synergy between Campania and Apulia must be reinforced as a strategic axis for the benefit of the regions and the entire country system. The Radia WindRunner™ program represents a concrete and highly valuable opportunity for relaunching civil aviation in Italy. It is crucial that this opportunity not be underestimated: companies in the sector are issuing a strong and unified call for the nation to invest in an industrial vision that looks to the future with courage and foresight.”

Carrino’s words embody the mission of the DAC: to strengthen the aerospace supply chain of Southern Italy as a driver of competitiveness for the entire national production system, through research, training, and technology transfer initiatives.

On the industrial front, Giuseppe Giordo, a leading figure in international aviation and now head of Radia Italy, highlighted the strategic importance of Campania and the DAC as a hub of excellence:

“Campania plays a key role within the European aerospace ecosystem. This partnership represents a tangible growth opportunity for the region. Italy will play a decisive role in building the world’s largest special cargo aircraft and will be part of a high-level industrial program, with investments supporting the entire supply chain—creating new skills and generating value for Southern Italy.”

Giordo added:

“What we are building today is not just an aircraft but an entire industrial ecosystem—a project that looks to the future of civil aviation with the awareness that true innovation must generate value for both territories and people.”

Born from a global vision, the WindRunner™ finds its most fertile ground in Southern Italy. Thanks to the network established by the DAC, Campania has become a recognized European innovation laboratory, capable of connecting universities, SMEs, and large industrial groups into a cohesive system.

The project arrives at a crucial moment for Europe, as the continent strives to strengthen its technological and industrial autonomy. With WindRunner™, Italy positions itself among the select group of nations capable of designing and producing next-generation aircraft, opening new opportunities for export, applied research, and advanced training.

The challenge has been launched: once again, Italy is ready to take flight, propelling itself into the future of global aviation.

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Radia – WindRunner™
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