Italy Tests MBDA Armaments for New Astore Levante Drone

By ASR Newsdesk · 12 Oct 2026, 21:00 UTC

Italy is evaluating MBDA armaments for integration onto the Astore Levante drone, a new unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Turkey's Baykar and Italy's Leonardo. The Italian air force plans to acquire six of these drones, which are derived from Baykar's TB-3. While initially presented with Turkish armaments, Italy is exploring options with MBDA and smaller Italian firms. The Astore Levante is scheduled for certification by late 2026 or early 2027, with European certification being a key step for sales within Europe. Integrating European weapons is expected to enhance the drone's marketability in European countries.