The United States has approved a $14.3 million contract modification for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to continue sustaining the Italian Air Force’s MQ-9 unmanned aircraft fleet. Issued as a cost-plus fixed-fee update under an existing Foreign Military Sales agreement, the modification exercises an option year covering ongoing logistics, software maintenance, and support services. Work will be conducted in Poway, California, as well as in Italy and Kuwait, to ensure the continued readiness and availability of the MQ-9s for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and other missions. The contract is managed by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, with the full value already obligated and completion scheduled for January 31, 2027. Italy has operated the MQ-9 for more than a decade, progressively upgrading the platform with enhanced sensors, secure satellite communications, and the integration of precision munitions.
