Italy orders 2 new MQ-9As Reapers, as US seeks newer options
Rome previously ordered a handful of Reapers, but lost one of the drones in Libya in 2019, and another one was destroyed in March during an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait.
Rome previously ordered a handful of Reapers, but lost one of the drones in Libya in 2019, and another one was destroyed in March during an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait.
The notice comes after nearly 30 Reapers were reportedly lost in combat against Iran.
“We are doubling the number of MQ-9A Reapers so we can increase our maritime and overland intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance (ISR) capacity,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Ruedisueli, commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force's 306 Squadron.