MQ-9A Block 5 remotely piloted aircraft ordered by Italian Air Force
NewsSeptember 09, 2026
SAN DIEGO, California. The Italian Air Force ordered two MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, with delivery planned for the end of 2027, the company announced in a statement.
The purchase is part of a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) with the U.S. Air Force that includes Ground Control Stations, the statement reads. The MQ-9A Block 5 has an endurance of up to 26 hours, can operate at altitudes up to 45,000 feet, and has a payload capacity of 4,600 pounds, including 3,750 pounds of external stores, the company says.
The aircraft supports intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions using full-motion video, synthetic aperture radar, moving target indicator, and maritime radar capabilities, according to the statement. The MQ-9A Block 5 features automatic takeoff and landing, a fault-tolerant flight-control system, and a triple-redundant avionics architecture, the company says.
