Italian F-35B seen carrying 25mm gun pod for the first time

An Italian Air Force F-35B Lightning II has been photographed carrying the GPU-9/A 25mm gun pod, the first visual confirmation that Italy has fielded the system outside the United States. The aircraft was on approach to Decimomannu Air Base in Sardinia on Sept. 30, 2026, ahead of landing. Decimomannu sits near ranges the Italian Air Force uses for weapons training. Whether live firing took place, or whether any such activity was part of routine pilot training or an operational test and evaluation campaign, has not been established.

Italy's acquisition of the pod had been anticipated. In 2024 it was reported that the GPU-9/A's 25mm rounds formed part of a multi-year programme to buy new weapons for the Italian Navy's F-35Bs. No delivery had been visually confirmed until now. It is not clear whether the Navy has already begun using the pod on its own aircraft. The Italian Navy is replacing its AV-8B+ Harriers with 20 F-35Bs, which operate alongside 20 more F-35Bs being delivered to the Italian Air Force.

The F-35B and F-35C have no internal gun and must carry the weapon in a pod, unlike the F-35A, which carries an internal GAU-22/A 25mm cannon. Italy is one of three countries outside the United States operating the short take-off and vertical landing variant, alongside the United Kingdom and Japan. The UK has said it does not plan to acquire or integrate the 25mm pod on its F-35Bs, and no information is available on Japan's intentions.