U.S. Air Force MQ-9A Reaper armed with a Paveway and 2 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles | |
Role | Unmanned combat aerial vehicle |
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National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | General Atomics Aeronautical Systems |
First flight | 2 February 2001; 23 years ago |
Introduction | 1 May 2007 |
Status | In service |
Primary users |
United States Air Force
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Number built | 300+ as of 2021 |
Developed from | General Atomics MQ-1 Predator |
Developed into |
The MQ-9 is a larger, heavier, more capable aircraft than the earlier General Atomics MQ-1 Predator and can be controlled by the same ground systems. The Reaper has a 950-shaft-horsepower (712 kW) turboprop engine (compared to the Predator's 115 hp (86 kW) piston engine). The greater power allows the Reaper to carry 15 times more ordnance payload and cruise at about three times the speed of the MQ-1
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The General Atomics "Predator B-001", a proof-of-concept aircraft, first flew on 2 February 2001. Abraham Karem is the designer of the Predator.
MQ-9 Reaper crews (pilots and sensor operators), stationed at bases such as Creech Air Force Base, near Las Vegas, Nevada,
As of 2018 the USAF had taken delivery of 287 out of 366 MQ-9 Reapers on contract with General Atomics