Italy Orders SPIKE ATGW and Simulators

On September 23 the Israeli MoD announced via Twitter that Italy and Israel have concluded a reciprocal procurement agreement that represents the final step in a wide-ranging deal concluded in February last year.

Under the agreement, Israel will procure an additional AW119KX training helicopters, while Italy will order further SPIKE ant-tank guided weapons (ATGW) and simulators. The deal was signed on 22 September by Maj Gen Amir Eshel, Director General of the Israeli MoD and Nicoló Falsaperna, Italy’s National Armaments Director.

Israel originally agreed to buy 12 AW119 trainers and two simulators to replace the Bell 206s in service with the Air Force since the 1970s. Seven were ordered at the time; the additional order fulfils the agreement. In addition to a further quantity of SPIKEs, Italy is to procure helicopter simulators for the Italian Army, to be jointly developed by Leonardo and Elbit Systems.