Overview
- GA‑ASI announced on Wednesday that the Italian Air Force ordered two additional MQ-9A Block 5 remotely piloted aircraft with deliveries and new ground control stations due by the end of 2027.
- The buy is part of a 2024 U.S. Foreign Military Sale that authorizes up to six Block 5 MQ‑9s for Italy at an estimated $738 million and covers sensors, mobile ground control stations, radars and logistics support.
- U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency paperwork explicitly notes the Italian Block 5s are weaponized, and Italian planning documents refer to integrating weapons on new and retrofitted systems.
- Some reporting says the two airframes may be existing unsold 'white tails', which would allow faster transfer, while the broader package lists AN/DAS‑4 targeting pods, LYNX AN/APY‑8 radars and an EGI navigation unit.
- The move follows past Italian MQ‑9 losses (a 2019 Libya crash and a destruction at Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem in March 2026) and comes as U.S. Air Force leaders warn of high Reaper attrition and push to speed replacement and survivability upgrades.