The Italian Air Force (ItAF) has ordered two additional MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), expanding its existing fleet. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2027 under a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) agreement with the US Air Force, which also includes ground control stations.
GA-ASI President David R. Alexander highlighted Italy’s longstanding partnership with the company, noting the Italian Air Force’s continued use of the MQ-9A for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions across Italy, the Mediterranean and NATO operations.
The MQ-9A Block 5 is designed for long-endurance surveillance missions, with an endurance of up to 26 hours and an operational ceiling of 45,000 feet (13,716 metres). Its total payload capacity is 4,600 pounds (2,087 kilograms), including up to 3,750 pounds (1,701 kilograms) of external stores.
The aircraft supports multiple surveillance capabilities, including full-motion video, synthetic aperture radar, moving target indication and maritime radar. Automated take-off and landing capabilities support its operational flexibility.
For reliability, the MQ-9A Block 5 incorporates a fault-tolerant flight control system and triple-redundant avionics architecture. According to GA-ASI, the platform is engineered to meet and exceed the reliability standards of crewed aircraft.
The additional aircraft will strengthen Italy’s remotely piloted aviation capabilities and support its ongoing ISR commitments in national, Mediterranean and NATO operational environments.
