Italy eyes MBDA armaments for new Italo-Turkish drone

ROME — Italy is holding tests with MBDA to mount the European firm’s armaments on the new Astore Levante drone being built by Turkey’s Baykar and Italy’s Leonardo , the head of the Italian air force has said.

The Italian air force is due to acquire six of the drones, which are derived from Baykar’s TB-3 and are being assembled in Italy by LBA Systems, a joint venture between Baykar and Leonardo.

The Astore Levante is due to carry Leonardo sensors, but at its unveiling at the Farnborough air show in July it was presented alongside Turkish armaments, including Roketsan’s MAM family of guided bombs and Baykar’s KEMANKES-1 mini cruise missile.

Speaking in Rome on Monday, Italian air force chief Gen. Antonio Conserva said he was not ruling out other suppliers of armaments. “At the moment we have not made choices, the natural armament is Turkish but we also have activities with MBDA and small Italian industrial groups,” he said.

Conserva confirmed the new drone was set to be certified by the end of 2026 or in early 2027. European certification is deemed a prerequisite for selling the drone in Europe.

Mounting European arms will also boost sales efforts in Europe. The Italian air force will initially order three systems, each containing two drones, but Conserva said, “We will see if we go on to expand the capability.”

The Astore Levant will replace the Predator MQ1 flown by the air force, Conserva added. As well as being flown on ISR missions and providing armed support for troops, the drones will also be used for training drone pilots, he said.

Before the launch in July of the Astore Levante, the Italian navy said in April it was eyeing the TB-3 as a carrier-borne drone to fly off its Cavour carrier, which also hosts Italy’s F-35Bs.

The TB-3 is already in service on board the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu. Another TB-3 customer, Indonesia, is expected to base the drone on the Garibaldi, a carrier it has purchased from Italy.

Conserva spoke to reporters on Monday at a conference at the HQ of the Italian air force in Rome which gathered air force and industry officials to discuss the future of warfare.

Asked by Defense News about the prospect of Germany possibly joining the GCAP sixth generation fighter program set up by Italy, Japan and the UK, Conserva said he was in favor.

“We are talking about a strategic partner,” he said.

“We would need to find a political and industrial deal. Germany is a great country. We have already collaborated with them on the Tornado which will retire next year, and the Eurofighter which is the backbone of our national defense and deterrence. Whatever emerges I will view favorably,” he added.

Tom Kington is the Italy correspondent for Defense News.

罗马——意大利空军司令表示，意大利正在与MBDA公司进行测试，以将这家欧洲公司的武器装备安装到由土耳其Baykar公司和意大利Leonardo公司联合研制的新型Astore Levante无人机上。

意大利空军将采购六架无人机，这些无人机源自 Baykar 的 TB-3，由 Baykar 和 Leonardo 的合资企业 LBA Systems 在意大利组装。

Astore Levante 计划搭载 Leonardo 传感器，但在 7 月的范堡罗航展上亮相时，它与土耳其的武器装备一同展出，包括 Roketsan 的 MAM 系列制导炸弹和 Baykar 的 KEMANKES-1 迷你巡航导弹。

意大利空军司令安东尼奥·孔塞尔瓦将军周一在罗马表示，他不排除与其他武器供应商合作的可能性。“目前我们还没有做出选择，土耳其武器是我们的主要供应商，但我们也与MBDA公司和一些意大利小型工业集团有合作，”他说。

Conserva公司确认，这款新型无人机将于2026年底或2027年初获得认证。获得欧洲认证被认为是该无人机在欧洲销售的先决条件。

欧洲军备竞赛也将促进在欧洲的销售。意大利空军最初将订购三套系统，每套系统包含两架无人机，但孔塞尔瓦表示：“我们将视情况决定是否扩大采购规模。”

康瑟瓦补充说，阿斯托尔·莱万特无人机将取代空军目前使用的捕食者MQ-1无人机。他还表示，除了执行情报、监视和侦察任务以及为部队提供武装支援外，这些无人机还将用于训练无人机飞行员。

在 7 月份“阿斯托雷·莱万特”号下水之前，意大利海军在 4 月份表示，他们正在考虑将 TB-3 作为舰载无人机，从其“加富尔”号航母上起飞，该航母上还搭载了意大利的 F-35B 战斗机。

TB-3无人机已在土耳其两栖攻击舰“阿纳多卢”号上服役。另一客户印度尼西亚预计将把该无人机部署在其从意大利购买的“加里波第”号航空母舰上。

周一，Conserva 在罗马意大利空军总部举行的一次会议上对记者发表了讲话。此次会议聚集了空军和工业界官员，共同探讨战争的未来。

当《防务新闻》询问德国是否有可能加入由意大利、日本和英国共同发起的第六代战斗机计划（GCAP）时，孔塞尔瓦表示他赞成。

他说：“我们谈论的是一位战略合作伙伴。”

“我们需要达成一项政治和产业上的协议。德国是一个伟大的国家。我们已经与他们合作开发了明年即将退役的‘旋风’战斗机和作为我们国家防御和威慑力量支柱的‘台风’战斗机。无论最终结果如何，我都会持积极态度。”他补充道。

汤姆·金顿是《防务新闻》驻意大利记者。