SAN DIEGO — 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 MQ-9A fleet. The aircraft are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2027. The purchase is being carried out through a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) with the U.S. Air Force and also includes Ground Control Stations.
GA-ASI President David R. Alexander said Italy has been an important partner for the company for more than 20 years. He said the Italian Air Force uses the MQ-9A for a range of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions in Italy, over the Mediterranean and in support of NATO operations.
Part of Italy’s MQ-9A Expansion
The new order follows a broader U.S. approval from 2024 covering the potential sale of six MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft to Italy. The approved package was valued at an estimated $738 million and included three Mobile Ground Control Stations, 12 AN/DAS-4 Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems and nine LYNX AN/APY-8 Block 20A Synthetic Aperture Radars with Maritime Wide Area Surveillance capability, along with other equipment, training and support.
Italy had already begun transitioning its MQ-9A fleet to the Block 5 configuration. General Atomics announced in December 2023 that the Italian Air Force had flown its first new MQ-9A Block 5 on November 9, 2023, as part of a modernization effort that also included a Mobile Ground Control Station.
The MQ-9A is operated by the Italian Air Force for ISR missions, including operations over Italian territory and the Mediterranean and missions supporting NATO. Italy officially refers to its MQ-9A aircraft as Predators, rather than Reapers.
MQ-9A Block 5 Capabilities
According to General Atomics, the MQ-9A Block 5 can remain airborne for up to 26 hours and operate at altitudes of up to 45,000 feet (13,716 meters). It has a total payload capacity of 4,600 pounds (2,087 kilograms), including up to 3,750 pounds (1,701 kilograms) of external stores.
For surveillance missions, the aircraft can carry systems providing Full-Motion Video, Synthetic Aperture Radar, Moving Target Indicator and Maritime Radar capabilities. The Block 5 also features automatic takeoff and landing.
The aircraft uses a fault-tolerant flight-control system and a triple-redundant avionics architecture. General Atomics says the system is engineered to meet or exceed reliability standards applied to manned aircraft.
The additional aircraft will further expand Italy's MQ-9A fleet when they are delivered at the end of 2027, continuing the Italian Air Force's use of the platform for long-endurance ISR missions in support of national and NATO requirements.
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