Italian Court Cancels Israeli Rafael's Drone Defense Contract at Rome Airport

Italy's Supreme Administrative Court has overturned a previous ruling and canceled the contract awarded to Israeli defense company Rafael for supplying an anti-drone system at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino International Airport. The system was initially provided by a consortium including Rafael and the Italian firm Altintech. The court ruled that the contract must be transferred to a competing Italian company, ELT, with the airport management given 60 days to implement the change.

The cancellation stems from a detailed technical report by Italian defense experts who classified Rafael's radar system as military equipment rather than civilian technology. This classification was based on factors such as the system's power consumption, operating temperature, frequency bands, compliance with military equipment regulations, and its registration in Italy's national arms registry. Consequently, the radar required special import permits and security clearances that were reportedly not properly obtained.

Italian authorities have not only annulled Rafael's contract but also handed over all relevant documentation to the Rome public prosecutor to investigate potential criminal misconduct by airport management. The airport operator, Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), rejected the allegations, asserting that the radar is dual-use technology suitable for civilian applications and is safely deployed in other European airports and major event venues.

ADR emphasized its full transparency throughout the tender process and pledged to comply with the court ruling while ensuring uninterrupted airport security and drone detection operations. The ruling introduces new diplomatic and security challenges, given Rafael's close ties to Israel's military and defense industry.