Italian Navy to equip FREMM-class frigates with US-made ScanEagle UAVs to enhance intelligence mission capabilities.

On April 1, 2025, the Italian Ministry of Defense authorized a new contractual action to acquire an additional U.S.-made MQ-27 ScanEagle unmanned aerial system (UAS) for integration aboard two FREMM-class naval units. This acquisition falls under the operational requirement defined by the Italian Navy in 2022 to enhance Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities through the deployment of light and tactical-class shipborne UAS. It also represents a continuation of the initial ScanEagle integration program, which began with a U.S. Purchase Order (No. 2565 and amendments) that is still in execution.
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The Boeing Insitu MQ-27 ScanEagle was developed from the Insitu SeaScan, a commercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) originally designed to assist fishermen in tracking tuna and collecting weather data. (Picture source: Boeing)

The mandate issued by the Italian Navy to the Directorate for Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness (DAAA) aims to complete and expand the initial acquisition by providing additional systems and associated materials. This includes progressing with the installation and integration of the MQ-27 ScanEagle UAS aboard FREMM-class vessels while ensuring operational continuity. The initial procurement took place on September 18, 2013, when Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, announced a contract with the Italian Navy for the delivery of two complete ScanEagle systems and related training services. Each system includes four UAVs, a ground control station, a remote video terminal, and launch and recovery equipment. The ScanEagle was one of several unmanned systems introduced into the Italian Navy's inventory following initiatives such as Operazione Mare Nostrum, during which it operated alongside other UAVs like the Camcopter S-100.

The revised program reduces the number of ships to be equipped from three to two and modifies the sensor configuration. Specifically, it increases the number of aircraft with Electro-Optical (EO) sensors and removes the previously planned integration of the ViDAR sensor. The spare parts package will be aligned with expected flight hours, and additional training modules will be included, covering both basic operator instruction and instructor-level qualification. Italy became the sixth ScanEagle customer in Europe, and this drone is already used in ISR roles, benefiting from a cruise speed of 140 km/h and a 20-hour endurance. The UAV does not require a runway, as it uses a pneumatic catapult launcher compatible with naval vessels.

Previous electromagnetic compatibility and integration studies led by the Italian Navy have identified optimized installation configurations aboard the FREMM class, enabling safe and functional operation of the system. Based on these findings, the Italian Navy concluded that acquiring the same ScanEagle system remains the only viable option to ensure operational and logistical continuity without requiring new sets of launch and recovery equipment for each ship. This ensures additional surveillance capability for FREMM-class vessels.

For example, on November 13, 2024, the Italian Navy frigate Luigi Rizzo completed the acceptance trials for the ScanEagle in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Prior to testing, the vessel underwent modifications at the La Spezia Military Arsenal to integrate the UAV system. During sea trials, personnel established the Navy’s first Remotely Piloted Aircraft Section (SEZAPRM) aboard a ship, training alongside the crew and supported by Insitu engineers. The tests assessed command and control functions, launch and recovery operations, and onboard procedural integration in accordance with the Navy’s technical requirements. These activities involved coordination among the Rizzo crew, UAV unit personnel from the Naval Squadron Air Force Command, and representatives from the manufacturer.

The Italian Navy concluded that acquiring the same ScanEagle system remains the only viable option to ensure operational and logistical continuity without requiring new sets of launch and recovery equipment for each ship. (Picture source: Marina Militare)

The contractor selected by Italy for this new agreement is Insitu Inc., the U.S.-based developer and manufacturer of the ScanEagle system. Insitu also serves as the system’s designated entity for maintaining airworthiness, based on the restricted military type certificate No. 131-A issued by the Italian DAAA on August 3, 2023. The ScanEagle system is already integrated and operational aboard several FREMM vessels under the earlier acquisition. It comprises permanently installed components (ground control station and antennas) and transferable elements (launcher, recovery system, and aerial vehicles), allowing redeployment between ships undergoing maintenance and those ready for operational deployment.

The total estimated cost of the acquisition is €19,500,000. Of this amount, €19,305,426.59 is allocated to the Purchase Order, which corresponds to $20,077,643.65 using a conservative exchange rate of 1.04. An additional €194,573.41 is allocated for technical function incentives under Article 45 of Legislative Decree 36/2023. These incentives include €155,658.73 for personnel (as defined in paragraph 3) and €38,914.68 for activities described in paragraph 5. The residual 20% of the contract amount not used for the core acquisition may be reallocated to unplanned requirements, such as repairs and spare parts, within the same contractual framework. The contract will be executed through a negotiated procedure without prior publication, identified as a Purchase Order type under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) framework. It qualifies for exemption from several standard procurement publication requirements, as the materials are classified as military equipment.

The three-year financial schedule spans from 2025 to 2027. The payment forecast includes €13,422,170.64 in 2025, €4,922,170.64 in 2026, and €961,085.32 in 2027. The contract also provides for the issuance of a Risk Assessment Document (DUVRI), and its execution will be managed by the DAAA, with a 42-month duration starting from May 2025, pending final clearance from oversight bodies. The Italian Navy will assume custody of the delivered systems. The payment mechanism will be based on documentary credit, and a guarantee will be required. Responsibilities include the nomination of a Project Manager (head of the 4th Division) and a contract execution director, as required for contracts exceeding €500,000. Notifications related to the contract will be sent to the DAAA’s 9th Division and to the Italian Navy’s 6th Department.

The ScanEagle, a small, fixed-wing UAV used for surveillance and reconnaissance, offers an endurance of more than 20 hours, a maximum speed of 148 km/h, and a cruise speed of 111 km/h. (Picture source: Insitu)

The Boeing Insitu MQ-27 ScanEagle was developed from the Insitu SeaScan, a commercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) originally designed to assist fishermen in tracking tuna and collecting weather data. Following a strategic alliance between Boeing and Insitu, the platform was adapted for military surveillance and reconnaissance. The ScanEagle conducted its first flight on June 20, 2002, and entered service with the U.S. Navy in 2005. It was deployed operationally starting in August 2004 during the Iraq War. Subsequent developments led to upgraded variants, including Block D with improved video systems and cameras, Block E with infrared capability (NightEagle), and ScanEagle 2, which introduced a heavy-fuel engine, new avionics, and a fully digital architecture. Over time, it was also used in various civilian and environmental missions and was among the first UAVs approved by the FAA for commercial use in U.S. airspace. A further evolution includes the ScanEagle 3, an ITAR-free variant.

The ScanEagle is a small, fixed-wing UAV with a wingspan of 3.11 meters and a length of up to 1.71 meters. It is launched using a pneumatic “SuperWedge” catapult and recovered via the “Skyhook” system, which uses a rope suspended from a pole and GPS coordination. The UAV is designed to operate without runways. Its flight endurance exceeds 20 hours, and a Block D variant once flew for 22 hours and 8 minutes. The ScanEagle uses stabilized electro-optical or infrared cameras mounted on inertial turrets. It has also been fitted with payloads such as the NanoSAR-A radar (3.5 lb) for synthetic aperture radar imaging. Additional systems, like the ViDAR optical detection system, have been tested for broad-area maritime surveillance. The UAV’s onboard electronics, cameras, and sensors have been periodically upgraded for specific mission sets, and the airframe supports the integration of varied sensor packages.

The ScanEagle has a maximum takeoff weight of 26.5 kg and is powered by a 1.5 hp two-stroke piston engine. It offers an endurance of more than 20 hours, a maximum speed of 148 km/h, and a cruise speed of 111 km/h. Its operational ceiling is 5,950 meters. The UAV carries visual, infrared, and thermal imaging systems. A complete ScanEagle system includes four air vehicles, a ground control station, a remote video terminal, and both launch and recovery systems. The cost of a full system was estimated at $3.2 million in 2006 and $3.5 million by 2013. Upgraded versions introduced Ethernet-based communications architecture, improved EMI shielding, and FLARES (Flying Launch and Recovery System) — a quadrotor UAV that can deploy and retrieve the ScanEagle without traditional launch or recovery equipment. The platform has been used in combat operations, oceanographic research, counter-piracy missions, and drug interdiction.