Aviation Week
• Steve Trimble
The Italian Air Force has ordered two MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, adding to Rome’s existing fleet. The aircraft were drawn from GA-ASI’s remaining inventory of previously unsold “white tails,” extending more than two decades of Italy–General Atomics cooperation.
UAV Development & Drone Programs
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The Italian Air Force has ordered two MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, adding to Rome’s existing fleet. The aircraft were drawn from GA-ASI’s remaining inventory of previously unsold “white tails,” extending more than two decades of Italy–General Atomics cooperation.
High activity
Robinson Unmanned has completed demonstration flights of its remotely piloted R44 AirTruck, including a landing on an offshore-style deck at a Louisiana airport. The uncrewed helicopter is designed to support offshore logistics missions, positioning the platform for cargo operations in demanding environments.
Iranian forces say they recovered a U.S. Navy-linked autonomous underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz. Images of the captured system appear to show Anduril’s Dive-LD, an uncrewed submersible designed for operations in contested waters, though the vehicle’s identity and circumstances of its recovery remain unconfirmed.
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Saab says potential customers are interested in pairing General Atomics’ LoyalEye surveillance system, mounted on the MQ-9B SkyGuardian, with its piloted GlobalEye airborne early-warning aircraft. The concept would combine uncrewed and manned surveillance capabilities in a single operational package.
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