MQ-9 Reaper

MQ-9 Reaper - reconnaissance and strike UAVs, which was established by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. It was intended for use in the US Navy and Air Force and British Royal Air Force. February 2 2001 was held its first flight.

At the heart of MQ-9 Reaper was the plane MQ-1 Predator. Equipped with turboprop engine, which allows us to develop great speed, more 400 kilometers per hour. The ceiling of 13 thousand. M. The maximum duration of the flight - 24 hours.

US Air Force a total of plans to adopt 276 UAV Reaper. On arms of the United States of 2011 was, according to various sources, there are up to 63 74 from the aircraft.

Modifications MQ-9 Reaper

• Block-1 is a modification of the MQ-9 with an improved flight duration, appeared in April 2012. The upgraded UAV is capable of staying in the air for 10-15 hours longer when compared to the previous version. This result was achieved by installing additional fuel tanks and an improved chassis. As a result, the flight duration became longer - 37 hours without refueling. According to the manufacturer, if the aircraft is equipped with longer wings, namely 26,8 m instead of 20,0 m, it will be able to stay in airspace for up to 42 hours.

• Block-5: increased engine power, set the second radio station for the transmission of information by several ground and air targets, increased capacity.

Using the MQ-9 Reaper

In March 2007, it was built the first US Air Force, and in October of this type of aircraft to effectively cope with the problems in Afghanistan. The Pentagon in November 2007, the group reported the destruction of the Taliban with the help of guided aerial bombs that were dropped from the aircraft. Also it is used to patrol the Mexican border.

MQ-9 Reaper Video

The US Air Force by March 2009 28 was of the type of UAV Reaper and 195 type Predator.

US Air Force in August 2008 graduated first combat air unit re MQ-9 Reaper, namely 174-wing of the National Guard under-destroyers. It should be noted that this re-took more than three years. Impact UAV demonstrated a particularly high efficiency during the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The main advantages over the known F-16: Lower purchase price and operating safety of the operators, the long duration of the flight.

Tactical unit

It should be noted that the tactical unit MQ-9 consists of several UAVs, communication equipment, ground control stations, personnel and spare parts (contractors or military personnel). The crew of the UAV consists of an operator and a pilot of electronic systems. Given the combat mission, the aircraft may have different combinations of electronic equipment and weapons. For example, a multispectral surveillance system from The Raytheon may include cameras in the infrared and visible ranges, a laser rangefinder target designator for arming systems, a photomultiplier-based television system, and so on. Also there is a radar with synthesized equipment, which is used to guide guided bombs, and a target movement sensor.

MQ-9 Reaper performed well in all weather conditions. It has a turbine engine, which ensures a high speed of 400 kph. The aircraft can carry fourteen missiles Hellfire (as it is known, MQ-1 Predator is able to move only two rockets). In the case of a full payload UAV can stay aloft without refueling to 14 hours. It has modern electronics, which makes it one of the best among the drones.

US Air Force are working on the ability to control multiple UAVs with a radar (so they intend to increase the combat effectiveness of the aircraft on the battlefield).

It is impossible not to note the fact that the unarmed versions of the UAV remains name "Altair", while the fighting is called MQ-9 Reaper.

MQ-9 Reaper: combat use

• The US Air Force created Wing 1d on May 2007, 432, a combat unit for the MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator. Some of the aircraft are located in Nevada at the Creech Air Force Base. In 2007, the first painful flights began in Afghanistan and Iraq.

• In March 2008 of Reaper drones in Afghanistan 16 performed raids on targets with missiles and bombs, Hellfire. For example, in February 4 2008, the plane dropped on a truck carrying detachment near Kandahar, a bomb.

• Reaper drones in September 2009 years were in the Seychelles, the operations in the Indian Ocean against piracy.

• In 2010 year strike aircraft in Afghanistan was killed Mustafa Abu Yazid (Sheikh al-Masri), the third person in the management of "Al-Qaeda".

• Blow UAV Reaper 7 May 2012, he was killed Fahd al-Kusa - one of the leaders of the Yemeni wing of the "Al-Qaeda".

The losses among the civilian population

With increasing use of unmanned aircraft, unfortunately, cases of unintentional injury of inhabitants in the midst of the fighting has become much more.

The legal basis for the application

Blows inflicted by terrorists using UAVs, were approved by the US Congress, which was adopted after the September 11 2001 held, the terrorist attack. But from the standpoint of the rights of the world, the use of UAVs can not be separately regulated.

Avionics

• AN / APY-8 Lynx II (radar) with synthesizer equipment can operate in the mapping, installed in the nose cone.
• Combined thermal and electro-optical sighting station MTS-B is under the fuselage on a spherical garter. It includes a laser rangefinder-pointer that can hold all munitions targeting NATO and the US with semi-active laser-guided.

MQ-9 Reaper: weapons

The aircraft has 6 suspension points:

• two in the middle of the wing - of 230-270 kilos;
• two internal - of 680 kilos;
• two console - on 68-91 kilos.

Able to carry:

• up to four missiles AGM-114 «Hellfire";

• or four "Hellfire" and 2 bomb Mark 82, with laser sighting;

• bombs or Mark 82, characterized by a GPS-guided.

Missiles AIM-92 Stinger tested to this day.

The cost of MQ-9 Reaper

The cost of the tactical unit - about 30 million dollars, depending on the configuration.

As 2011 of the US Air Force was up by 63 74 aircraft. And 7 have been used by the US Border. In Italy, there are six MQ-9 Reaper, Turkey - 4, in the UK - 1, France ordered 16 1500 amounting to millions of dollars.

MQ-9 Reaper characteristics:

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