AeroVironment (AV) has secured a $46.6 million contract from the Italian Ministry of Defence for the delivery of its combat-proven JUMP 20 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) medium uncrewed aircraft system (MUAS).
The five-year contract includes the delivery of JUMP 20 air vehicles, engineering services, initial sustainment, and on-site technical support—ensuring operational readiness from day one. The agreement will enable the Italian armed forces to replace their aging Shadow UAS fleet with a modern, modular solution.
The JUMP 20 is a fixed-wing VTOL UAS with a 30-pound payload capacity, more than 13 hours of endurance, and a range of up to 185 kilometers. It is designed for expeditionary ISR missions and features autonomous launch and recovery, minimizing crew workload.
“This contract strengthens our long-standing partnership with NATO allies and highlights JUMP 20’s operational flexibility,” said Shane Hastings, VP and GM of Medium UAS at AeroVironment.
JUMP 20 is built using a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), ensuring flexibility for upgrades, integration, and multi-payload interoperability across evolving systems.