UAV Directory - Aircraft Specification

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems - MQ-9 Reaper

A low wing monoplane with V-tail surfaces and a single pusher propeller. Developed as an evolution of the MQ-1 with a turbojet powered demonstrator making its debut flight in February 2001. Two turboprop configuration aircraft ordered by the US Air Force in December 2002 with the first pre-production standard aircraft flying in October 2003. Initial USAF contracts for a weaponised version placed in march 2004 with additional orders since placed as part of plans for a 60 aircraft fleet. Civil versions sold to the US Department of Homeland Security and NASA. The US Air Force declared the MQ-9 Reaper operational in October 2007, and it has maintained an active profile especially in operations in Afghanistan ever since. Based on the Predator B design, other customers include Italy, Turkey, the UK and the US Customs and Border Patrol. Germany is also evaluating a purchase of the MQ-9. Although it has been an operational system for nearly two years, the Reaper was fielded before many of its baseline capabilities had become mature. Development of the Reaper's capabilities is continuing and is scheduled to increase in pace over the next few years. The USAF has already moved to integrate a Northrop Grumman airborne signals intelligence payload (ASIP) to spy on mainly low-band frequencies. The USAF also plans to integrate a wide area airborne surveillance (WAAS) sensor developed by Sierra Nevada called Gorgon Stare, which can provide 12 different streams of full motion video simultaneously. More upgrades includes increasing the aircraft's gross take-off weight, ice detection capability, Mode 5 interrogator friendly/foe and completing airworthiness certification.

SPECIFICATION