The U.S. State Department has approved the Foreign Military Sale of AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles and related equipment to Italy.
The estimated total cost of the sale is $90.6 million.
Italy has requested to buy twenty-eight AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II+ Tactical Missiles; four AIM-9X Block II+ Tactical Guidance Units; eight AIM-9X Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM); and two AIM-9X CATM Guidance Units. Also included are active optical target detectors; containers; personnel training and training equipment; classified and unclassified publications and technical documents; warranties; U.S. Government engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support.
The U.S. State Department stated that this 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 defense mission and that Italy will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.
The principal contractor of the sale will be the RTX Corporation.
