Italy has agreed to a $46.6 million contract with AeroVironment for the delivery of Jump 20 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which will replace its aging fleet of AAI RQ-7 Shadow drones.
To guarantee that the UAVs are fully operational from day one, the five-year deal includes engineering, technical assistance, and maintenance services from AeroVironment.
The pact complies with the Italian Ministry of Defense’s technical and operational criteria, which prioritize the purchase of contemporary, versatile drones that may be utilized in dynamic and mobile operations. The Jump 20 is made for sophisticated operations involving multi-sensor intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. It can take off and land without the need for a runway or recovery gear.
The drone can support a payload of 30 pounds (13.6 kg), has a flight endurance of more than 13 hours, and has an operational range of 115 miles (185 km).
It has a long-range EO/MWIR thermal camera system with on-board tracking, stabilization, and video processing features, as well as an ARCAM 45D imaging sensor.
