Italy invests heavily in unmanned systems and air defense to counter evolving drone threats from conflicts.
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Unmanned systems are fundamentally changing military operations due to conflicts like the war in Ukraine and attacks in the Red Sea. Italy is responding by investing 3.2 billion euros in unmanned platforms and strengthening air defense, recognizing that low-cost, advanced technologies like drones pose significant threats. The Italian Defense strategy involves developing a countermeasure framework and acquiring necessary tools for aerial defense. This includes widespread adoption of drone technology across all military components, alongside continuous evolution of air defense systems using advanced radars and surface-to-air missiles to combat diverse threats from missiles to drones. Italy is allocating funds for various unmanned systems: large and micro UAV models for the armed forces, increased investment in naval (USV/AUV) surveillance, and ground vehicles (UGV) for risky reconnaissance. Recently delivered systems like Grifo provide short-range air defense against multiple threats. Furthermore, nearly 600 million euros are earmarked for upgrading MQ-9A unmanned aerial vehicles. Italy is also pursuing international collaborations, such as a joint venture with Turkey’s Baykar Technologies, and aims to secure significant funding from the European Union’s Safe fund to bolster its drone capabilities.
