First MQ-9 Reaper makes its home on Nevada flightline

AFNEWS ^ | 3/14/2007 | Senior Airman Travis Edwards

[Jet Jaguar]

The MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle's younger, yet larger and stronger, brother, the MQ-9 Reaper arrived March 13 at its new home at Creech Air Force Base, Nev.

The remotely piloted aircraft completed initial testing in California, then flew more than 250 miles in two hours to land here. The aircraft was piloted by Lt. Col. Jon Greene, 42nd Attack Squadron commander. Along side him, was his sensor operator Senior Airman Aaron Aguilar, also of the 42nd ATKS.

"I am truly honored to be the commander of the Air Force's first MQ-9 attack squadron," said Colonel Greene. Our mission is to train MQ-9 crews and fly combat by this summer. Bringing the MQ-9 on line is going to take a fresh view on how we, as Airmen, train and employ."

The Reaper's turboprop engine is able to run at 250 knots, can fly up to 40,000 feet and is able to stay in the air for more than 20 hours.

The newly arrived Reaper will begin flying training missions here by March 19 and the first formal training unit class will begin shortly after, Colonel Green said.

"One of the big differences between the Reaper and the Predator is the Predator can only carry about 200 pounds (of ordnance). The Reaper however, can carry one and a half tons, and on top of carrying Hellfire missiles, can carry multiple GBU-12 laser-guided bombs," said Capt. Michael Lewis, 42nd ATKS flight scheduler.

By 2009, the 42nd ATKS should have 18 Reapers assigned for training and deployment purposes. The plan is for the Reapers to deploy by the beginning of summer, Colonel Greene said.

Currently, the 42nd ATKS works under the 57th Operations Group in the 57th Wing. By May 1, the squadron should fall under the 432nd Wing, the first wing totally dedicated to Predator and Reaper operations.

"My squadron is excited about the opportunity of molding new pilots and sensor operators into razor-sharp, combat-ready aircrews. We will also develop the first-ever MQ-9 tactics, techniques and procedures to use in the current fight as well as any potential future conflicts," Colonel Greene said.

"I am very proud of the Airmen in my squadron who have worked very hard to meet our goals and I look forward to embarking on this new era of air and space power," he said.

[Jet Jaguar]

[centurion316]

Our mission is to train MQ-9 crews and fly combat by this summer. Bringing the MQ-9 on line is going to take a fresh view on how we, as Airmen, train and employ."

And provides a new definition to the word combat. I wonder how many DFC's will be passed out.

[avacado]

"One of the big differences between the Reaper and the Predator is the Predator can only carry about 200 pounds (of ordnance). The Reaper however, can carry one and a half tons..."

Holy Moly! That's impressive -- for our side! For the ones on the receiving end... not the best news of the day!

[COEXERJ145]

Looks like a cross between a Predator and the Global Hawk.

[Domicile of Doom]

Need to crank these things out by the 1000's and swarm the enemy. You get enough of these in the air there is no chance for the enemy.

[agent_delta]

RC Pilots around the world are donning their flightsuits in solidarity.

[NonValueAdded]

Fear the Reaper!

[Ramius]

I wonder how many DFC's will be passed out.

They'll just be virtual medals. :-)

[af_vet_rr]

There will be a lot more of these and you are looking at the future of aerial warfare. Some of the things they are looking at for the next 10 years - you would not have believed them possible just 10 years ago. We are also going to see all different sizes, depending on the mission.

It's going to be a huge transition for the Air Force and Navy - in the not too distant future, the Navy will start cranking out ships specifically suited for these, including submersibles. Imagine some kind of submarines popping up and launching 40 or 50 similar remote-piloted aircraft (or autonomous even - that is going to be the future and part of the next two or three generations after what they currently have on board). The Naval operators could direct these aircraft to "swarm" over an area (say before a Marine landing - in order to take territory, you still have to have boots on the ground). These things could just basically circle the area, picking off targets at will.

I used to not think it was possible in my lifetime, and for a long time it wasn't, but the future is here. The DoD is putting a lot of money into this.

[MediaMole]

I wonder how many DFC's will be passed out.

How many pilots are the children of politicians?

[MichaelP]

REAPER.... Should add a GRIM to that. Nowhere to hide bad guys...

Mike

[arthurus]

The pace of this is such that I feel I might just see a real science-fiction world in my lifetime, real space travel even, and I am not young.

[cryptical]

There will be a lot more of these and you are looking at the future of aerial warfare.

At 8 million each these things are cheap, and if the Air Force can get over the institutional need to use actual pilots instead of trained enlisted personnel like other branches have done it will certainly be a huge win.

[Domicile of Doom]

We do not need boots on the ground! We're not keeping the territory we're simply ridding it of undesirables. My vision is suborbital drones taking off, performing mission, coming back to land for resupply of munitions, and back again perpetually until there is no enemy left. Not until peace accords, not until a white flag is waved, but until there is nothing left. We don't need boots for that, nor do we need ships. We'll require drones with global capability and huge payloads, all pre-programmed with intuitive capability to adapt to changing battlefield conditions. It'll be like the invention of the machine gun, but this time with these weapons, conventional man vs. man warfare will become obsolete.

[bruin66]

What about us U-Control guys?

[af_vet_rr]

We do not need boots on the ground! We're not keeping the territory we're simply ridding it of undesirables.

So if we had enough of these aircraft, you think we could have taken out Saddam and taken over Iraq without boots on the ground?

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

"Fear the Reaper!"

MORE COWBELL!

[tet68]

Hahaha, quit being archaic.

U-control 3 line carrier landings, Waaaaaaaaa!

[Centurion2000]

Don't fear the Reaper

[Empireoftheatom48]

Wow, so cool!!