CREECH AIR FORCE BASE: In early 2009, a recently reactivated combat unit, now named the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing, achieved the mark of 500,000 hours of combat, for a relatively new form of airpower, known as remotely piloted aircraft. In roughly a decade, the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, RPAs designed for enhanced loitering […]

DefenceTalkThe State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Belgium of MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $600 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on March 25, 2019. The Government of Belgium […]https://www.defencetalk.com/belgium-to-buy-mq-9b-skyguardian-remotely-piloted-aircraft-72234/

DefenceTalkMinister for Defence, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, and Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Steven Ciobo MP, today announced the selection of the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper variant as the system which best meets the capability requirements for Australia’s first armed remotely piloted aircraft system. Minister Pyne said the medium altitude long endurance aircraft […]https://www.defencetalk.com/australia-to-buy-mq-9-reaper-male-drones-71938/

DefenceTalkRemotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper aircrews from the 89th Attack Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, alongside the 432nd Operations Support Squadron and 42nd ATKS at Creech Air Force Base participated in Red Flag 17-2 from Feb. 27 through March 10, 2017, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The MQ-9s integrated with fourth-generation platforms, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/mq-9-uavs-participate-in-red-flag-17-2-69604/

DefenceTalkCREECH AIR FORCE BASE: For the past 21 years the Air Force has flown the remotely piloted MQ-1 Predator in combat, and for the last 10, the MQ-9 Reaper. Combined with a skilled aircrew, these aircraft provide consistent support in daily engagements making an impact downrange. While the MQ-1 has provided many years of service, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-prepares-for-all-mq-9-force-as-mq-1-predator-retires-69292/

DefenceTalkGeneral Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) today announced the longest endurance flight of the Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Big Wing aircraft, a next-generation derivative of the combat-proven Predator B RPA. “This long-endurance flight demonstrates Predator B Big Wing’s game-changing potential for providing life-saving persistent ISR [Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance] in support of U.S. and coalition warfighters,” […]https://www.defencetalk.com/predator-b-big-wing-flies-over-37-hours-non-stop-67584/

DefenceTalkGeneral Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) today announced the successful first flight of Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Extended Range (ER) Long Wing, retrofitted with improved long-endurance wings with greater internal fuel capacity and additional hard points for carrying external stores. The flight occurred on February 18 at GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Test Facility in Palmdale, Calif., […]https://www.defencetalk.com/predator-b-uav-extended-range-conducts-first-flight-with-long-wings-upgrade-66899/

DefenceTalkKANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan: The U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance enterprise is vital to the national security of the United States and its allies, providing an unrivaled capability; focused, integrated ISR is inseparable from operations and enables mission execution. For the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, efforts to increase those capabilities […]https://www.defencetalk.com/reaper-uav-extends-range-in-afghanistan-66054/

DefenceTalkKANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan: Airmen assigned to the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron provide world-class close air support and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in the Afghanistan area of operations. They complete this mission by maintaining, launching and recovering all MQ-1B Predators and MQ-9 Reapers in the country from Kandahar and Jalalabad Airfields. “MQ-1s and MQ-9s account for […]https://www.defencetalk.com/reapers-predators-on-the-prowl-in-afghanistan-65146/

DefenceTalkAn MQ-9 Reaper successfully hit a sea-going target with an AGM-114 Hellfire missile during a joint service training exercise over the Gulf of Mexico on March 17. This was the first time a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) hit a maritime target. “It was the first time we had put live weapons into boats and participated […]https://www.defencetalk.com/reaper-deploys-live-weapons-on-maritime-training-target-63726/