The Direct Federation to the General Confederation of Italian Industry continues to cultivate fruitful collaboration, demonstrated through the various agreements that have been signed with counterpart associations worldwide.

The AIAD was founded in 1946 as the Association of Aeronautical Industries (AIA).

With the advent of space activities, it subsequently changed its name to the Association of Aerospace Industries. In 1997 with the incorporation of the Group of Industries at Advanced Technology for Defence and the Defence and Space division of the National Federation of Electrotechnical and Electronic Enterprises, it included within its framework all the major companies operating in the field of naval, military and land sectors.

In March 2009 AIAD became a Federation and today is the National Organization of Italian Companies for Aerospace, Defence and Security; it includes a large number of member companies which together generate an annual turnover of 15.3 billion euros and employ over 50 thousand employees. In relation to these figures, Leonardo and the different Divisions cover about 80%; however, 75% of the federated companies are Small and Medium Enterprises.

The AIAD maintains close and constant relationships with bodies and institutions representing their interest at national, European and at the global level. It draws up and submits reports and industrial positions to the various Italian government departments and also directly to or through any other foreign institutional organizations.

Furthermore, it provides an effective and significant contribution for the development of sector plans to be drawn up by Defence bodies and/or other Government Departments that deal with research or innovation, Rules of Procedures, Technical and contractual issues.

A close and fruitful collaboration with the Administration and the Secretariat General of Defence has been set up and consolidated in which they liaise with other departments such as Foreign Affairs, Economic Development, University and Scientific Research or other Entities and institutions such as ENAC (The National Civil Aviation Authority), ASI (Italian Space Agency) and CNR (National Research Council).

The Federation coordinates several working groups at the national and international level.   With participation of national experts in these working groups, it promotes the organization of seminars and events in addition to collecting statistical reports on the performance of the main economic indicators.

In 2012 AIAD, in collaboration with the major National Aerospace Districts (Campania, Lazio, Lombardy, Piedmont and Puglia), to the National Technological Cluster for Aerospace (CTNA), defined the road-map and the strategic plan with the significant contribution of its Technological Platforms for Aeronautics (ACARE-Italy) and for Space (SPIN-It).

AIAD is also active in supporting business internationalization activities abroad by coordinating, in collaboration with the Secretariat General of Defence and ICE (Italian Trade Promotion Agency) the overall ICE (the Agency for the promotion abroad and internationalization of Italian companies), the overall and collective participation of national companies in the most important events.

The program of bilateral meetings is also significant with the aim to explore and support possible collaborations between Italian companies and those of other countries.  In this respect, different fruitful collaboration agreements have been signed with counterpart associations worldwide.

The AIAD coordinates the national supply chain with the aim to organize and promote offers to major customers worldwide.  Participation in Business Conventions (Aerospace & Defence Meetings) has significantly increased, for example the Italian industry was significantly present in Seattle (2018) and, since then in several events in Tolosa.

It provides throughout UNAVIA (the Association for Standardization, Training and Qualification in the Aerospace and Defence Sector), which the AIAD established in 1946, a valid contribution to support the activities of Standardization and Training.

Currently the following companies are Members of the Federation: 5 Emme Informatica Spa, Acciaierie Valbruna Spa, A.C.S. Srl, Aerea Spa, Agenzia Industrie Difesa, A.L.A. Spa, Altec Spa, Arescosmo Spa, A.R.I.S. Spa, Ase Spa, Asti Aircfraft Services Srl, A.St.I.M. Srl, Avio Spa, Avio Aero, Avioelectronics Srl, Aviorec Srl, Babcock International Italy Spa, Baglietto Spa, Bcube Spa, Beretta Spa, Bmc Srl, Bonetti & Partners Srl, Borserini Srl, Brainy Solutions Enterprise Srl, Calzoni Srl, Cantiere Navale Vittoria Spa, Cerri Cantieri Navali Spa, Cira Scpa, Civitanavi Systems Srl, C.M.D. Costruzioni Motori Diesel Spa, Codin Spa, Consorzio S3log, Consorzio Temagroup, Cover Technology Srl, Curti Costruzioni Meccaniche Spa, Difesa Servizi Spa, Dragonfly Srl, Drass Galeazzi Srlu, Eca Sindel Srl, Ecor Research Spa, E-Geos Spa, Egicon Srl, Eldes Srl, Electronics Aerospace Srl, Elettronica Spa, Engineering Ingegneria Informatica Spa, Era Electronic Systems Srl, Eurocontrol Spa, Fb Design Srl, Fincantieri Spa, Fiocchi Munizioni Spa, Flexider Srl, Flyby Srl, Fucine Umbre Srl, G&G Partners Srl, G7 Srl, Gelco Spa, Gem Elettronica Srl, Gemelli Spa, Goriziane Group Spa; Hi-Tech Elettronica Srl, Hitrac Engineering Group Spa, Ids Ingegneria Dei Sistemi Spa, Ifi Srl, Infracom Italia Spa, Insis Spa, Interconsulting Srl, Intermarine Spa, Isselnord Srl, Italiana Ponti Radio Srl, Iveco-Oto Melara Societa’ Consortile A R.L., Kayser Italia Srl, Larimart Spa, L.E.M. Srl, Leonardo Spa, Leat Spa, L.M.A. Srl, Logic Sistemi Avionici Spa, M.B. Servizi & Trasporti Srl, M.P.G. Instruments Srl, Marcelli Di Marcelli Alessandro, MBDA Italia Spa, Mecaer Aviation Group Spa, Med Spa, Merletti Srl, Moreggia & C. Spa, Nimbus Srl, N.M.C. Nuovo Mollificio Campano Srl, Northrop Grumman Italia Spa, Nurjana Technologies Srl, Oma Spa, O.M.I. Srl, Omp Engineering Srl, Orizzonte Sistemi Navali Spa, O.V.S. Villella Srl, Pezt Co, Rsl, Piaggio Aerospace, Pietro Rosa Tbm Srl, Prestel Avio Srl, Prime Tech Srl, Radarsensing Srl, Rheinmetall Italia Spa, Rigel Srl, Rina Consulting – Csm Spa, Rwm Italia Spa, Samer Srl, Sami Spa, Seastema Spa, Secondo Mona Spa, Selt Srl, Sicamb Spa, Simav Spa, S.I.M.E. Societa’ Industria Meccanica Srl, Simmel Difesa Spa, Sitti Spa, Snap-On Tools Italia Srl,Somacis Spa, Sse-Sofiter System Engineering Srl, Superjet International Spa, Support Logistic Services Srl, T.C.S. Group Srl, Technosprings Italia Srl, Tekne Srl, Telespazio Spa, Thales Alenia Space Italia Spa, Thales Italia Spa, T.P.S. Srl, Turin Tech Srl, Uee Italia Srl, Ufi Filters Spa, Vitrociset Spa.