Aircraft

U.S. Air Force's first hunter-killer UAV named Reaper

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The Reaper MQ-9
NASA's Altair UAV
NASA's Altair UAV
The Reaper MQ-9
The Reaper MQ-9
The Reaper MQ-9
The Reaper MQ-9
The Reaper MQ-9
The Reaper MQ-9
Manufactured by General Atomics, the Reaper sports a 900 hp turbo-prop engine, somewhat more powerful than its predecessor's 119 bhp engine.
NASA's Altair UAV is identical to the Reaper, though its payload is measured off in peace-time goodies - the payload bay in the nose of the UAV can carry 700 pounds of sesnors, imaging equipment and other instruments
NASA's Altair UAV again, this time wearing an ocean colour sensor, a passive microwave vertical sounder and an electro-optical sensor
NASA's Altair UAV with the payload area filled with a satelltie antenna, electro-optical/infrared and ocean colour sensors
The Reaper MQ-9
The ground station currently runs one person per UAV but plans are underway for up to 16 UAVs per ground station to become operative
NASA's Altair UAV
NASA's Altair UAV
NASA's Altair UAV
NASA's Altair UAV
NASA's Altair UAV
NASA's Altair UAV
NASA's Altair UAV
View gallery - 23 images

September 14, 2006 The Air Force has announced "Reaper" has been chosen as the name for the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle, the Air Force's first hunter-killer UAV. Formerly known as the Predator B, the MQ-9 is still in final development but is larger and much more powerful than the MQ-1 Predator and is designed to go after time-sensitive targets with persistence and precision, and should the Reaper ever be assigned your case, you are indeed very likely to become toast. Compared to the current MQ-1, which could carry two Hellfire missiles and is credited with at least one top 10 targets in Iraq, the Reaper is much more capable, and can carry 14 Hellfire II anti-armour missiles. The MQ-9 can also deploy precision guided weapons such as the GBU-12 and 500lb GBU-38 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition). Similarly, the Reaper can carry an internal sensor payload more than twice that of MQ-1, now has an operational ceiling of 50,000 ft and can cruise above clouds at 260 knots for 14 hours at a time. In announcing the new moniker, Gen. T. Michael Moseley stressed that the key advantage of the UAV is not keeping pilots out of harm's way, but the persistence UAVs can inherently provide.

"The Reaper represents a significant evolution in UAV technology and employment. We've moved from using UAVs primarily in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles before Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, to a true hunter-killer role with the Reaper," he said.

The Air Force has seven MQ-9 Reapers in its inventory, with a full-rate production decision expected in 2009.

A 900 hp turbo-prop engine, compared to the 119 hp Predator MQ-1 engine, powers the aircraft. It has a 64-foot wingspan and carries more than 15 times the ordnance of the Predator, flying almost three times the Predator's cruise speed.

View gallery - 23 images
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