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The US has awarded General Atomics Aeronautical Systems a $14.3 million contract modification to maintain the Italian Air Force's MQ-9 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) fleet. This cost-plus fixed-fee update to an existing Foreign Military Sales contract includes an option year for ongoing support activities.

Operations will occur in Poway, California, Italy, and Kuwait, focusing on logistics support and software maintenance to ensure the readiness of the MQ-9 aircraft for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and other missions. The contract, overseen by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, has fully obligated the $14.3 million, with work expected to conclude by January 31, 2027. Italy has operated MQ-9 aircraft for over a decade, enhancing their capabilities through various US-approved upgrades.