Posted on 09/22/2018 6:32:14 PM PDT by Zhang Fei
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- An MQ-9 Reaper drone has bagged its first air-to-air kill of another small, aerial vehicle in a controlled simulation, an official revealed to Military.com this week.
The successful test late last year showed the U.S. Air Force that an unmanned vehicle like the MQ-9 has the ability to conduct air-to-air combat, much like its manned fighter brethren such as an F-15 Eagle or F-22 Raptor, according to Col. Julian Cheater, commander of the 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.
"Something that's unclassified but not well known, we recently in November … launched an air-to-air missile against a maneuvering target that scored a direct hit," Cheater said. Military.com sat down with Cheater here at the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber conference outside Washington, D.C.
"It was an MQ-9 versus a drone with a heat-seeking air-to-air missile, and it was direct hit … during a test," he said of the first-of-its-kind kill.
"We develop those tactics, techniques and procedures to make us survivable in those types of environments and, if we do this correctly, we can survive against some serious threats against normal air players out there," Cheater said Monday. "We will go participate in 'Red Flag' exercises, and we will drop weapons in testing environments to make sure that we can fight against those type of adversaries."
The effort is key to preparing for the next big aerial war against near-peer threats such as Russia or China, who are advancing their skill sets not only in unmanned aerial vehicles but also in hypersonics, electronic warfare, lasers and missile testing, Cheater said.
"In many parts of the world, it's almost a hybrid fight by proxy," he said. "... the MQ-9 Reaper will certainly be a big part of that.
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
Col. Cheater always wins?
[the MQ-9 has the ability to conduct air-to-air combat, much like its manned fighter brethren such as an F-15 Eagle or F-22 Raptor]
The Predator launched a Hellcat, the Iraqi an AA.
The Hellcat stopped short of its target.
The AA did not.
Needs more cow bell!
Don’t fear the Reaper...
OK, target, we want you to just stand right there. Hold still now.
Yes but he never prospers.
Hellcat is/was a WWII Navy Aircraft.
Do You mean a Hellfire Missile ?
?AA? as in Anti-Aircraft fire ?
I believe anti-aircraft fire is now, probably because of missiles, "AAA" for anti-aircraft artillery.
I don't remember what the Iraqis had for air-to-air missiles, so I abbreviated as best I could.
The Pentagon did release the video, from the Predator's perspective...
Great response.
[grin]
I never trust the military in test results. They will outright lie or change the incremental success parameters to make us think all is well, when it is not.
Lol, you mean like in that classic movie PENTAGON WARS?
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