MQ-9

From OnAirpower.org

MQ-9 Reaper

Designation: MQ-9 Manufacturer: General Atomics Nationality: US Remarks: The US Air Force's first purpose-designed hunter-killer UAV designed for long endurance, high altitude surveillance and attack missions.

The MQ-9 has nearly nine times the range, twice the ceiling, and a greater munitions capacity than its predecessor, the MQ-1^[1].

[edit] Timeline

• September 14, 2006 The MQ-9 UAV is officially named the "Reaper" by the US Air Force^[2].

• March 13, 2007 The USAF's first operational MQ-9 Reaper UAV arrived at Creech AFB, Nevada, attached to the 42nd Attack Squadron (USAF)^[3].

• September 1, 2007 The first "kill" scored by an MQ-9 Reaper operated by the US Army is recoded when the UAV is used to attack a pair of suspected terrorists planting a road-side bomb near Qayyarah, Iraq, in Nineveh province. The Reaper was operated by the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade^[4].

• September 25, 2007 The US Air Force begins operating the MQ-9 in Afghanistan^[5].

• October 27, 2007 The US Air Force launches its first air strike using the MQ-9 in the Deh Rawood region of Afghanistan's mountainous Oruzgan province^[6].

• November 7, 2007 The MQ-9 Reaper UAV makes its first combat use of GBU laser-guided bombs while operating in the Sangin region of Afghanistan. To this date, the MQ-9 is also reported to have completed a total of 49 combat sorties in Afghanistan^[7].

[edit] Sources

• Wikipedia entry for MQ-9 Reaper

• USAF MQ-9 Reaper Factsheet

• Predator RQ-1/MQ-1/MQ-9 Reaper UAV  at airforce-technology.com

• Drone Chalks Up First Iraq Kill  at DefenseTech.org Describes the first "kill" achieved by a US Army-operated MQ-9 Reaper

• Rise of the Machines: UAV Use Soars  at Military.com (January 2, 2008)

• Oct. 20 Airpower Summary: Reaper Strikes Enemy Target  at USAF (October 21, 2008)

• Predator C is Stealthy with a Tailhook  at Ares Blog (April 17, 2009)

• Predator C Avenger Makes First Flights  at AviationWeek.com (April 17, 2009)

[edit] References

1. ↑ http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123071575
2. ↑ http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123027012
3. ↑ http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123044678
4. ↑ http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003714.html
5. ↑ http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123071575
6. ↑ http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/10/airforce_mq9_reaper_071029w/
7. ↑ http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003860.html