They cost about $3,500 per flight hour, compared to about $8,000 per flight hour to operate, for example, an F-16, according to General Atomics.Īccording to the Air Force, for $56.5 million they can purchase four MQ-9 aircraft with sensors, ground control station and a satellite link. Given its significant loiter time, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite, and. Unlike most other aircraft, drones can loiter for hours gathering intelligence material. The MQ-9 Reaper is the primary offensive strike unmanned aerial vehicle for the U.S. ![]() ![]() Department of Homeland Security, NASA, UK Royal Air Force, the Italian Air Force, the French Air Force and the Spanish Air Force.ĭrones are generally less expensive than manned aircraft with similar capabilities, and are safer for operators since they do not require a pilot. Also, the Marine Corps, in its 2022 Aviation Plan, has expressed a desire for an airborne early warning radar for Reaper. MQ-9s have also been purchased by the U.S. For example, the surveillance, anti-submarine, and strike mission profiles that MQ-9 Reaper provides could be useful when it comes to defending remote islands in the Pacific. Last week the Air Force released a request for information for a next-generation drone to replace the MQ-9 Reaper.The new unmanned aircraft, which should enter service in 2031, will have built-in. The Reaper, which was delivered to the Air Force 16 years ago, can also be equipped with weapons such as air-to-ground missiles. It has a 66 foot wingspan, a Honeywell engine, can carry 3,900 pounds of fuel and travel at a speed of 240 knots 'true air speed'. ![]() The MQ-9 "Reaper" unmanned aerial vehicle can loiter at up to 50,000 feet for more than 27 hours, gathering intelligence with sophisticated cameras, sensors and radars. Browse Getty Images premium collection of high-quality, authentic Mq 9 Reaper stock photos, royalty-free images, and pictures.
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