MQ-9 Reaper

MQ-9 Reaper

The MQ-9 Reaper (originally the Predator B) is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) (also known as a Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV)) developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, Italian Air Force, and the Royal Air Force. The MQ-9 is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance

- Although the MQ-9 can fly pre-programmed routes autonomously, the aircraft is always monitored or controlled by aircrew in the Ground Control Station and weapons employment is always commanded by the pilot. Hence the preference to refer to the MQ-9 as a Remotely Piloted Vehicle

- Operators can hunt for targets and observe terrain using a number of sensors, including a thermal camera. One estimate has the on-board camera able to read a license plate from two miles (3.2km) away

- An operator’s command takes 1.2 seconds to reach the drone via a satellite link

- An MQ-9 with two 1,000 pound (450 kilogram) external fuel tanks and a thousand pounds of munitions has an endurance of 42 hours. The Reaper has an endurance of 14 hours when fully loaded with munitions,

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

 

MILESTONES

- In October 2001, the U.S. Air Force signed a contract with GA to purchase an initial pair of Predator B-003s for evaluation, with follow-up orders for production machines. The first test MQ-9s were delivered to the Air Force in 2002

- On 18 May 2006, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a certificate of authorization that allows the MQ-1 and MQ-9 aircraft to fly in U.S. civilian airspace to search for survivors of disasters. Requests had been made in 2005 for the aircraft to be used in search and rescue operations following Hurricane Katrina but, because there was no FAA authorization in place at the time, the planes were not used

- In September 2007, the MQ-9 deployed into Iraq at Balad, the largest U.S. air base in Iraq. On 28 October 2007 the Air Force Times reported an MQ-9 had achieved its first “kill”, firing a Hellfire missile against “Afghanistan insurgents in the Deh Rawood region of the mountainous Oruzgan province

- In April 2008, British special forces were forced to destroy one of the two Reapers operating in Afghanistan to prevent sensitive material falling into the hands of the Taliban after it crash landed.

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

 

SPECIFICATIONS

• Crew: None
• Landing Type: runway
• Launch Type: runway
• Power Plant: Honeywell TP331-10 turboprop engine, 950 SHP (712 kW)
• Fuel Capacity: 4,000 lb (1800 kg)
• Wingspan: 66 ft (20 m)
• Height: 12.5 ft (3.6 m)
• Empty weight: 3,700 lb (2200 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 10,500 lb (4760 kg)

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper

U.S Air Force MQ-9 Reaper