*Sources: Defense Media
(NSI News Source Info) PARIS, France - June 17, 2009: Italy expects to freely fly new Predator B's it will obtain by year end over the Mediterranean, albeit within Italian airspace, a senior official has said. 
In August 2005, a version of Predator B, called Sky Warrior, was chosen for the four-year system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the US Army's extended range / multi-purpose (ER/MP) UAV programme – 11 Sky Warrior systems, each with 12 air vehicles and five ground control stations.
Initial operating capability is planned for 2009. Two block 0 Sky Warrior UAVs were deployed to Iraq in April 2008. Also in August 2005, the US Department of Homeland Security / Customs and Border Protection (DHS/CBP) ordered two Predator B systems for monitoring of the USA's south-west border. The first was delivered in late 2005, the second in September 2006. Two further systems were ordered in October 2006, for monitoring operations on the border with Canada. In September 2006, the UK requested the foreign military sale (FMS) of two MQ-9 Reaper systems with Lynx SAR, multi-spectral targeting systems and one ground station. Deliveries began in mid-2007 and the RAF deployed the system in Afghanistan in November 2007. In January 2008, the UK requested the sale of an additional ten MQ-9 systems.
In August 2008, Italy requested the sale of four MQ-9 Reaper systems with three ground stations.
"Since the B's will fly at 50,000 feet, above regular traffic, it means they can go everywhere at sea at that altitude," said Italian Air Force deputy chief of staff Gen. Giuseppe Bernardis.
Italy expects to start taking delivery by year's end of four unarmed Predator B's, which will be based at the Italian Air Force's Amendola base in southern Italy, already home to Italy's Predator As.
Italy already has carved out a flight corridor for Predator A flights over sea that links coastal Amendola with Salto di Quirra test range in Sardinia. Bernardis said plans were underway to create a series of new "feeder corridors" linking the main corridor to bases at Sigonella and Trapani in Sicily, the Italian island of Pantelleria and Decimomannu in Sardinia.
Bernardis said the A's would stick to the corridors, but once at 50,000 feet, the Predator B's will be able to cross airspace between corridors.
The pending corridor linking Sigonella could also be used by Global Hawks, which are set to be based there under the NATO Allied Ground Surveillance program, Bernardis added.
The Italian Air Force is, meanwhile, set to obtain two new upgraded Predator A's to join the four it already flies. The new UAVs will have a larger wingspan and laser targeting. One of Italy's four existing A's also is being upgraded to the standard of the new deliveries. The three upgrade standard A's will undergo training flights in Italy this summer before being deployed to Afghanistan by year end, Bernardis said.
The three Predator A's now flying in Afghanistan will then be withdrawn and upgraded.
In August 2005, a version of Predator B, called Sky Warrior, was chosen for the four-year system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the US Army's extended range / multi-purpose (ER/MP) UAV programme – 11 Sky Warrior systems, each with 12 air vehicles and five ground control stations.
Initial operating capability is planned for 2009. Two block 0 Sky Warrior UAVs were deployed to Iraq in April 2008. Also in August 2005, the US Department of Homeland Security / Customs and Border Protection (DHS/CBP) ordered two Predator B systems for monitoring of the USA's south-west border. The first was delivered in late 2005, the second in September 2006. Two further systems were ordered in October 2006, for monitoring operations on the border with Canada. In September 2006, the UK requested the foreign military sale (FMS) of two MQ-9 Reaper systems with Lynx SAR, multi-spectral targeting systems and one ground station. Deliveries began in mid-2007 and the RAF deployed the system in Afghanistan in November 2007. In January 2008, the UK requested the sale of an additional ten MQ-9 systems.
In August 2008, Italy requested the sale of four MQ-9 Reaper systems with three ground stations.
"Since the B's will fly at 50,000 feet, above regular traffic, it means they can go everywhere at sea at that altitude," said Italian Air Force deputy chief of staff Gen. Giuseppe Bernardis.
Italy expects to start taking delivery by year's end of four unarmed Predator B's, which will be based at the Italian Air Force's Amendola base in southern Italy, already home to Italy's Predator As.
Italy already has carved out a flight corridor for Predator A flights over sea that links coastal Amendola with Salto di Quirra test range in Sardinia. Bernardis said plans were underway to create a series of new "feeder corridors" linking the main corridor to bases at Sigonella and Trapani in Sicily, the Italian island of Pantelleria and Decimomannu in Sardinia.
Bernardis said the A's would stick to the corridors, but once at 50,000 feet, the Predator B's will be able to cross airspace between corridors.
The pending corridor linking Sigonella could also be used by Global Hawks, which are set to be based there under the NATO Allied Ground Surveillance program, Bernardis added.
The Italian Air Force is, meanwhile, set to obtain two new upgraded Predator A's to join the four it already flies. The new UAVs will have a larger wingspan and laser targeting. One of Italy's four existing A's also is being upgraded to the standard of the new deliveries. The three upgrade standard A's will undergo training flights in Italy this summer before being deployed to Afghanistan by year end, Bernardis said.
The three Predator A's now flying in Afghanistan will then be withdrawn and upgraded. 
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