General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has received an order for two new MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) from the Italian Air Force (ItAF).
The acquisition forms part of a broader Foreign Military Sale (FMS) agreement with the US Air Force and includes new Ground Control Stations.
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As per the FMS approved in August 2024, Italy can acquire six MQ-9 Block 5 drones and related support systems, with the total value of the package estimated at $738m.
Deliveries for this latest two-drone order are slated for completion by the end of 2027.
The new drones are expected to bolster Italy’s existing fleet, which currently includes four Block 1 aircraft and two Block 15 Mobile Ground Control Stations, based on figures from December 2023.
In recent years, Italy has also upgraded its RPA fleet. In November 2023, the ItAF conducted the first flight of a new MQ-9A Block 5, delivered alongside a Mobile Ground Control Station as part of a mid-life modernisation programme contracted in 2021.
The MQ-9A Block 5, a variant noted for its endurance and payload capacity, can stay airborne for up to 26 hours and operate at altitudes up to 45,000ft. It is capable of carrying up to 2,087kg of payload, which includes both internal and external stores.
According to GA-ASI, the platform supports various mission profiles through the use of full-motion video, radar, and automated take-off and landing functions.
The MQ-9A Block 5 is built with a fault-tolerant flight control system and a triple-redundant avionics architecture. GA-ASI states that these features are engineered to meet or exceed manned aircraft reliability standards.
GA-ASI president David Alexander said: “The Italian Air Force has continued to be a leader in the utilisation of MQ-9A to support a wide range of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in Italy, over the Mediterranean, and in support of Nato operations.”
According to data and analytics platform GlobalData, the value of the Italian defence market rose from $27.4bn in 2022 to more than $37.7bn projected for 2026, with planned increases in spending influenced by updated Nato commitments and evolving dynamics in the Middle East.
The market is forecast to reach $42.6bn by 2031.
