US government clears sale of additional MQ-9 Reapers to Italy

Celina Ali

Islamabad: The US government has cleared the potential sale of six General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Block 5 Reaper unmanned air vehicles to Italy.

The possible package is valued a $738 million, says the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).

Included in the package are three ground control stations, sensors, communications equipment, as well as other systems, logistics, and support.

“The proposed sale will improve Italy’s capability to meet current and future threats by expanding and improving the Italian air force’s MQ-9 fleet and advancing US and NATO policy goals of security and interoperability,” says the DSCA.

“Italy already has MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft with strike capabilities in its inventory and will have no difficulty absorbing these articles into its armed forces.”

The Italian air force acquired the MQ-9A Predator B as a replacement for its earlier General Atomics MQ-1 Predator fleet. The US company late last year delivered a first of two new Block 5 air vehicles to the service, as part of a mid-life modernisation activity which also covers updates to four Block 1-standard aircraft.

Features introduced with the Block 5 air vehicle include an automatic take-off and landing capability, improved landing gear, and new datalinks.