Italy buys additional 28 Sidewinder short range air missiles
Most Sidewinder variants use infrared homing for guidance. (Photo: US DoD)
Italy has requested more Sidewinder Block II+ tactical missiles from the US on top of the approximately 1,000 AIM-9s already delivered.
The US State Department has approved a possible US$90 million FMS to Italy for AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles.
Italy has requested 28 Sidewinder Block II+ tactical missiles, four guidance units that will be added to the previously implemented cases, training missiles and associated equipment.
“The proposed sale will improve Italy’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing training missiles and guidance units for Italy’s F-35 fleet in support of NATO’s defence mission,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.
Most Sidewinder variants use infrared homing for guidance, and out of more than 110,000 missiles produces around the world, 1% have been used in combat. The AIM-9 is one of the least expensive and more successful variants, with an estimated 270 aircraft kills by 2010.
Designed to be simple to upgrade, the new AIM-9X Block II variant incorporates a new fuse and a forward-quarter data link capability within the radar’s field of regard. It is expected to be integrated on the USMC AH-1Z.
Besides this new order, Italy has received around a total of 1,000 AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, according to Shephard Defence Insight.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Thailand-bound AH-6i helicopter completes first flight]()
Thailand-bound AH-6i helicopter completes first flight
A total of eight aircraft will replace the Royal Thai Army’s ageing AH-IF Cobra fleet as part of a contract deal worth US$103.8 million.
-
![Raytheon to develop Next-Gen Jammer upgrade for US navy under $192million deal]()
Raytheon to develop Next-Gen Jammer upgrade for US navy under $192million deal
The development of the Next-Generation Jammer Mid-Band system and its expansion upgrade will be a joint effort between the Royal Australian Air Force and US Navy to meet emerging electronic warfare threats.
-
![Pratt & Whitney granted $1.3 billion for F135 core upgrade]()
Pratt & Whitney granted $1.3 billion for F135 core upgrade
The contract award followed on from the preliminary design review of the F135 Engine Core Upgrade in July 2024. Work on the upgrade will be expected to be completed by March 2028.
-
![Lockheed Martin bags $3.2 billion US Air Force contract for JASSM and LRASM]()
Lockheed Martin bags $3.2 billion US Air Force contract for JASSM and LRASM
Lockheed Martin will supply the missile systems to the militaries of Japan, Finland, Poland and the Netherlands, with work carried out at Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Orlando until mid-2032.
