MIMIT, Radia renew pact to advance WindRunner cargo aircraft

The Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) and aerospace company Radia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the development of WindRunner, a next-generation ultra-large cargo aircraft, and explore related industrial development opportunities in Italy.

WindRunner is being developed as the world's largest aircraft, designed to transport outsized cargo directly to locations that cannot be reached through conventional logistics systems.

According to Radia, the programme aims to address gaps in global logistics and strategic mobility across sectors including defence, energy, industrial manufacturing and aerospace. The aircraft is intended to reduce delivery timelines from months to days or even hours, helping to strengthen supply chain resilience for both national security and commercial applications.

The aircraft's large cargo capacity and ability to operate from compacted dirt runways are expected to support strategic mobility, defence logistics, energy infrastructure deployment, aerospace manufacturing, humanitarian response missions and other industrial applications.

"As strategic mobility requirements continue to grow, allied nations will require new airlift capabilities," said Mark Lundstrom, Founder and CEO of Radia. "No new strategic airlift aircraft has entered production anywhere in the world in more than a decade. WindRunner is being developed to help address that gap by providing a new capability for transporting mission-critical, outsized cargo. We are proud to strengthen our collaboration with MIMIT and with Italy's aerospace and industrial sectors as we advance this transformational programme."

Under the MoU, MIMIT and Radia will work together to engage Italy's aerospace and industrial sectors in the WindRunner programme, including potential contributions from organisations involved in manufacturing, engineering and supply chain operations. The agreement is intended to leverage Italy's industrial expertise while supporting wider transatlantic industrial cooperation.

Italy already plays a key role in Radia's international operations, with Rome serving as one of the company's principal headquarters outside the United States.

The agreement also establishes a framework for institutional and technical collaboration to support the programme. The parties will coordinate with regional stakeholders, particularly in the Campania and Puglia regions, while assessing opportunities for industrial participation across Italy.

The organisations noted that the MoU provides a framework for cooperation, and that any future investments or programme decisions arising from the agreement will be subject to further analysis, approvals and additional agreements.