UAV · MALE UCAV
MQ-9 Reaper
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems · USA
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (Predator B) is a MALE hunter-killer UAV widely operated by the USAF and allies for armed ISR and precision strike. Single turboprop, ~27 h endurance, capable of carrying Hellfire missiles and guided bombs.
| Country | USA |
|---|---|
| Subcategory | Fixed-wing |
| Subtype | MALE UCAV |
| Role | Armed ISR and precision strike |
| Classification | Military MALE UCAV |
| Mission | ISR, strike, hunter-killer, close air support |
| Datalink | Ku-band SATCOM and C-band LOS |
| Variants | MQ-9A; MQ-9 ER; MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian |
| MTOW (kg) | 4763 |
| Operators | USAF; UK RAF (Protector); France; Italy; Spain; Netherlands; others |
| Frame type | Fixed-wing |
| Length (m) | 11 |
| Propulsion | Honeywell TPE331-10GD turboprop (~900 shp) |
| Range (km) | 1850 |
| Wingspan (m) | 20.1 |
| Combat-proven | Yes |
| Export status | Exported to NATO/allied nations |
| Launch method | runway takeoff |
| Autonomy level | Remotely piloted with autonomous functions |
| Endurance (min) | 1620 |
| Recovery method | runway landing |
| Year introduced | 2007 |
| Max payload (kg) | 1746 |
| Max speed (km/h) | 482 |
| Standard sensors | EO/IR (MTS-B), SAR (Lynx), multi-spectral targeting |
| Production status | In production / in service |
| Combat radius (km) | 1850 |
| Notable engagements | Numerous counterterrorism strikes |
| Service ceiling (m) | 15240 |
| Conflicts deployed in | Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia |
| Airframe / lift type | Fixed-wing |
| Control / autonomy level | RC line-of-sight – BVLOS, Semi-autonomous (human-on-the-loop) |
| Domain | Aerial (UAV/UAS) |
| Mission / use case – military | Armed UCAV, ISR |
| Origin / supply chain | Military-grade |
| Propulsion | Turbine / jet |
| Range / endurance | Long endurance (>24 hrs) |
| Signature / detectability | RCS – large, RF-emitting |
| Speed regime | High-speed / jet (>400 km/h) |
| Strike depth / operational role | Recon-strike complex (ISR + strike paired, e.g. Mavic + FPV, Orlan + Lancet) |
| Threat vector | Surveillance / reconnaissance |
| Weight / class | Class III – Strike / Combat (>600 kg), FAA >25 kg (Part 137 / waiver) |
In the news 61
Meink: Operational Prototypes for MMA Drones Coming in 2028Italian Air Force orders six armed drones from Leonardo-Baykar ventureUSS Abraham Lincoln Comes Home With Its Island Superstructure Covered In Kill MarksWhat Will a Growing MQ-9 Presence in Latin America Mean for SOUTHCOM?FAA Puts $12 Million Into 19 Drone Test-Site Projects While Part 108 Waits at OIRAUkraine Presses Washington to Sanction Suppliers of Russia's Rassvet Satellite Network, Fearing Real-Time Drone ControlHegseth Orders Four-Star Drone Command, Congress Has To Build ItThree MQ-9 operators complete five-month integration trial at Fargo airportSeptember drone digest: attrition-tolerant aircraft pitched to replace the ReaperU.S. Air Force expands tests of glider-based spy droneAerial tankers: The force multiplier behind modern airpowerOld balloons, new drones: U.S. Army tests both in Japan
Showing the 12 most recent of 61 mentions.
From uav360.xyz, the xSonomy news feed. Headlines link to the original publisher.
Review-stage catalogue data — specs corroborated from manufacturer and secondary sources; not for procurement decisions. Source: www.ga-asi.com/remotely-piloted-aircraft/mq-9a