ROME (Reuters) - Leonardo and France's Airbus are discussing ways to strengthen collaborations and industrial synergies, the chief executive of the Italian defence group said on Friday.

"There are many potential synergies between Airbus and Leonardo in different sectors," Chief Executive Roberto Cingolani told financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore in an interview. "Our technical teams are working to see how to strengthen collaborations and industrial synergies."

In mid-July Cingolani had said the state-controlled group was working with Airbus and Thales on a joint strategy for the space sector.

(Reporting by Giulia Segreti; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)