MQ-9 Reaper
The MQ-9 Reaper is a military drone used for many roles.The drone has two crew who remote control it from the ground like a civilian drone but with a terminal at a ground control base instead of a remote controller.From the terminal one crew member operates the sensors and weapons.the other crew member is the commander and pilot of the drone.It has many cameras and sensors and is able to take off a land on its own.The Reaper is mostly used for reconnaissance and loitering.It can also do close air support along with search and rescue.Because of its cameras and sensors the drone can point out targets for ground vehicles and other aircraft.It is also used to guard groups of military vehicles..When used for strike missions the drone is very accurate and up to eight missiles can be put on the wings.The drone is good at asymmetric warfare because it can wait around a area 24 hours and attack fast.
Specifications
Who makes it: General Atomics
Unit Cost: $56.5 million (includes four aircraft with sensors, ground control station and Predator Primary satellite link) (fiscal 2011 dollars)
Width: 66 feet (20.1 meters)
Length: 36 feet (11 meters)
Height: 12.5 feet (3.8 meters)
Weight: 4,900 pounds
Maximum takeoff weight: 10,500 pounds
Fuel Capacity: 602 gallons
How much can it carry(weapons): 3,750 pounds
How fast: Mach 0.36
How far can it go and still come back: 1,150 miles
How high can it go:50000 feet
Weapons: Combination of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II, and GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munitions
Crew (remote): Two (pilot and sensor operator)
MQ-9 Reaper Media
The satellite antenna and sensors of an NOAA-NASA flight demonstrator, 2005
An MQ-9 taxiing in Afghanistan, 2007
The first MQ-9 arriving at Creech AFB, March 2007
MQ-1 UAV Flight Crew at Joint Base Balad (LSA Anaconda), Iraq, 7 August 2007
An MQ-9A Reaper in Afghanistan, 2007
MQ-9 Reaper at a forward area refueling point (FARP) in December 2022
An icon from icon theme Crystal Project;
A British MQ-9A Reaper operating over Afghanistan in 2009
The SkyGuardian at Laguna Army Airfield for testing and certification, including a 48.2-hour endurance record and first FAA certification of an unmanned aircraft to fly in civilian air space.
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