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The Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aerospace company Radia to advance the development of the WindRunner™ program. This program aims to develop an ultra-large cargo aircraft, which is considered the largest aircraft in the world. The agreement was announced on June 18, 2026, and is also intended to promote industrial development opportunities in Italy.
The WindRunner program is designed to address critical gaps in global logistics and strategic mobility. It targets key industries such as defense, energy, industrial manufacturing, and aerospace. By reducing delivery times from months to days or even hours, WindRunner aims to strengthen supply chain resilience and support both national security and commercial applications.
New solutions for strategic mobility
The aircraft is expected to transport an unprecedented cargo capacity—reportedly up to 105 meters long, 10 meters wide, and weighing up to 73 tons—and to operate from compact, unpaved runways. This opens new possibilities for strategic mobility, defense logistics, energy infrastructure deployment, aerospace, and humanitarian missions. Mark Lundstrom, founder and CEO of Radia, stated:
“As the demands for strategic mobility continue to grow, allied nations will need new airlift capabilities. No new strategic airlift aircraft has gone into production for over a decade. WindRunner is being developed to fill this gap and provide a new capability for transporting mission-critical, oversized cargo.”
Under the memorandum, MIMIT and Radia will work together to involve the Italian aerospace and industrial sector in the WindRunner program. This includes potential contributions from organizations in manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain operations. The agreement aims to leverage Italy’s extensive industrial expertise while promoting transatlantic industrial collaboration.
Italy already plays a significant role in Radia’s growing international network, with Rome serving as one of the company’s main headquarters outside the U.S. The agreement also establishes a framework for institutional and technical collaboration to support the program. In addition to coordinating with regional stakeholders, particularly in the regions of Campania and Apulia, the overarching goal will be to evaluate and promote industrial participation throughout Italy. However, future investments or program decisions resulting from the agreement will be subject to further analysis, approvals, and additional agreements.
