БЛА MQ-9 Reaper на авиабазе в Кандагаре, декабрь 2009 года. В Афганистане данные БЛА решали как разведывательные, так и ударные задачи. БЛА на фотографии несет ракеты Hellfire и КАБ GBU-12 с лазерным наведением.

A USAF MQ-9 Reaper UAV, armed with Hellfire missiles, is readied for a mission over Afghanistan. Previously, video footage from a UAV such as this, or from a Predator, could only be watched by staff in the CASOC air operations centre. The ROVER datalink allows it to be viewed by forward air controllers on the ground in-theatre.

The Koninklijke Luchtmacht MQ-9 Block 5s will have the same strengthened main landing gear as seen on this Holloman-based US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper from the 29th Attack Squadron.

US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper '08-4050 ‘OT’, assigned to the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron, on the ramp at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, on September 3, 2020, carrying an AIM-9X Block 2 air-to-air missile. During test firing of the weapon, it was successfully employed against a BQM-167 target drone simulating a cruise missile. This was only the second time an AIM-9 had been launched from a Reaper, the first being in November 2017. Another recent Reaper weapons upgrade has involved the incorporation of new software that allows doubling of AGM-114 Hellfire capacity to enable it to carry eight of those missiles

MQ-9A Reaper 04-4010 'WA' '42 ATKS' taxies into Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, on March 13, 2007, marking the first delivery of an operational airframe to the USAF.

Pre-flight checks on a MQ-9 Reaper fitted with a Gorgon Stare counter-IED sensor for a sortie at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan.

Some of the Ejercito del Aire personnel posted to the United States to undergo training with the MQ-9 Predator B pose in front of a US Air Force example. Many of the maintainers trained with the New York Air National Guard's 174th Attack Wing based at Syracuse-Hancock Field.

An MQ-9 armed with four GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions parked before a February 2018 mission from Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. A key aspect of the training at the 558th Flying Training Squadron involves not just learning to fly, but also foundational knowledge about the principles of employing remotely piloted aircraft for strike missions.

An MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flight line at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, December 17, 2019. The type is widely utilised by AFSOC for its long endurance and range of payloads

Бортовое оборудование Reaper позволяет обнаруживать цели автономно. Основные датчики обзорно-прицельных систем смонтированы на турели под носовой частью фюзеляжа.

A front view of the MQ-9 Reaper showing the Raytheon Multi-Spectral Targeting System under the forward fuselage housed in a maintenance hangar at Holloman.

A Block 5 MQ-9 Reaper, upgraded with new electrical and communications systems, loaded with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, a GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb and a GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition. On June 23, 2017, a Block 5 Reaper flew the variant’s first combat sortie in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. During the 16-hour mission, the crew employed one GBU-38 and two Hellfire missiles while providing hours of armed reconnaissance for ground forces.

The Block 5 MQ-9 Reaper variant is equipped with improved electrical and communications systems to provide better software and hardware upgrades for future operations.

An MQ-9 Reaper carrying six Dual Mode Brimstone test rounds during the recent trials at NAWS China Lake, California.

"Охотник-убийца" Reaper, подобно большинству БЛА, полностью зависим от системы обмена информацией. Хотя полетное задание предварительно программируется, сам полет постоянно отслеживается наземным экипажем. Система обмена информацией БЛА также передает большой объем разведывательной информации "дружественным" силам.
An Air Force MQ-9A Reaper taxis in preparation for a mission loaded with four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and two GBU-12 laser-guided bombs.

Artificial intelligence will be tested on the MQ-9.

An MQ-9 Reaper configured with the two sensor turrets of the Gorgon Stare II wide area airborne surveillance system at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

Reaper, в отличие от MQ-1M, оснащен Y-образным хвостовым оперением с двумя цельноповоротными верхними поверхностями управления и неподвижным подфюзеляжным килем.

An MQ-9 at Creech AFB. The US Air Force wants to start replacing this type from 2030

Ударный БЛА MQ-9 Reaper активно использовался в Афганистане и Ираке. Несмотря на достаточно высокий уровень потерь среди беспилотников, они показали себя весьма эффективно. Союзники также использовали и сверхсекретный Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel.

Ударно-разведывательный беспилотник MQ-9 «Рипер», вооруженный ракетами AGM-114 «Хеллфайр» и управляемыми бомбами GBU-12, в ходе очередного боевого вылета над Афганистаном

A fully loaded MQ-9 takes off from Kandahar, Afghanistan. Unlike American aircraft, Dutch Reapers will fly unarmed.

An Air Force MQ-9 Reaper takes off from Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan on November 27, 2017.

A GA-ASI Gray Eagle drone in flight

БПЛА MQ-9 "Риппер"
An MQ-9 Reaper from the 42nd Attack Squadron at Creech AFB. This UAV is carrying four inert training versions of the GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb.

Двигатель большей мощности позволяет MQ-9 нести увеличенную боевую нагрузку. На фотографии - БЛА с двумя КАБ с лазерным наведением Paveway.

MQ-9 с КАБ GBU-12 "Пейвуэй" III

Данный Reaper вооружен двумя КАБ GBU-12 Paveway II и четырьмя УР AGM-114 Hellfire. В ассортимент вооружения БЛА входит также планирующая бомба GBU-44/B Viper Strike.

General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper - более тяжелый, чем БЛА Predator, и оснащен более мощным двигателем, что позволяет ему брать больше полезной нагрузки. Первоначально он обозначался Predator B, но это совершенно новый БЛА. MQ-9 впервые применен в Афганистане и Ираке в 2007 году, сегодня он востребован ВС и ЦРУ США. БЛА может нести ракеты AGM-114 Hellfire и УАБ GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-38 JDAM и GBU-44/B Viper Strike. В операциях потеряно 38 аппаратов.

An MQ-9B Reaper assigned to the 42nd Attack Squadron based at Creech AFB, Nevada, loaded with four inert 500lb GBU-12 laser-guided bombs.

The 163rd Attack Wing has flown MQ-9s in support of civil authorities battling deadly wildfires in Northern California.

The MoD faces decisions about what it’s going to do with its MQ-9 Reapers once they are withdrawn from Afghanistan.

An MQ-9 Reaper taxies after landing at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Air National Guardsmen watch an MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle during Combat Hammer at Duke Field, Florida. Combat Hammer is Air Combat Command’s Weapon System Evaluation Program for air-to-ground weapons. The evaluation staged in February 2017 was the first air-to-ground weapons evaluation of the Air National Guard's MQ-9 Reaper mission set.

An MQ-9 Reaper at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The US Air Force has awarded General Atomics a contract to incorporate air-to-air missiles in its Reaper flight simulator training unit to evaluate future options for arming the MQ-9.

California Air National Guard's 163rd Attack Wing (ATKW) based at March Air Reserve Base held a formal ceremony introducing the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft to the base and the local community on June 14, 2017. The Reaper is now flown by the 163rd ATKW from March following completion of the move from Victorville, California, the initial operating site. Six MQ-9 Reapers, including 11-4166/CA, are based at March.

MQ-9 Reaper, serial number 07-027, assigned to the 29th Attack Squadron on the ramp at Holloman with the squadron's name 'Ghost Warriors' on the tail.

In 2005, the RAF undertook trials of RAPTOR on a Predator B at NAWS China lake. To date the pod has only been flown operationally in RAF service on the Tornado GR4/4A.

US Air Force officials announced on October 11, 2007 that the MQ-9 Reaper hunter-killer unmanned air vehicle has now been deployed to Afghanistan and is undertaking operational missions. The Reaper, operated by the 42nd Attack Squadron, made its first flight in Afghanistan on September 11 and is undertaking around one sortie per day, with 12 flights completed by October 11. The type will be used for close air support, plus intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, although to date it has not yet been required to drop any weapons on enemy positions. The USAF currently has nine Reapers in its inventory and although it has not been announced how many are deployed to Afghanistan, photographs show at least two of the UAVs in theatre, armed with Hellfire missiles and GBU-12 laser-guided bombs. Seen here on the ramp at its forward deployed location in Afghanistan (believed to be Kandahar) is MQ-9 Reaper 04-4013 (c/n PB-013), the 13th production example.

An airman inspects the weapons loadout on an MQ-9 Reaper prior to a mission in Afghanistan.

One of the improvements of the MQ-9 Reaper over the RQ-1 Predator is its ability to use a greater range of munitions in the UCAV mission. Here, in an exercise at Creech AFB, Nevada, in 2009, a 500lb GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb has its fins attached. The Predator is unable to carry this weapon.

A Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop engine generates 950 horsepower and provides an endurance of up to 24 hours.

A mobile MQ-9 unit at Holloman carrying a US Air Force serial on the side.

MQ-9 Guardian Таможенно-пограничной службы США (название Reaper было признано неприемлемым) выполняет полет на оценку последствий урагана "Катрина". В этот период БЛА MQ-9 Guardian были задействованы также в поиске выживших и нуждающихся в помощи.

Одним из самых экзотичных и интригующих ЛА, используемых СВР, является демилитаризованный вариант БЛА MQ-9 Reaper. БЛА начали выполнять задания в районе границы с Канадой в 2009 году. Reaper, имеющий большую продолжительность полета и оснащенный сложным обзорным оборудованием, отлично подходит для мониторинга обстановки на границе.

БЛА MQ-9 Predator B используются как для борьбы с перевозчиками наркотиков, так и для патрулирования границы. Продолжительность полета этих аппаратов превышает 20 часов.

The RAF's first RQ-9 Reaper UAV, ZZ200 (c/n 109, USAF/07-109), takes off from Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, on one of its first missions on October 20, 2007. The UAV currently carries both its RAF serial (just aft of the wing) and USAF serial (on the dorsal fin, which also carries a 39 Squadron badge).
Unmanned air vehicles are likely to become an increasingly important asset for the airforce in the future. It already operates two MQ-1 Predators and three MQ-9 Reapers, with the UK Government signalling that it may acquire ten more MQ-9s. Both types are already serving in Afghanistan.

Royal Air Force/39 Squadron MQ-9A Reaper ZZ201 (USAF/07-0111), the second to join the RAF, taxies out at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, on December 18, 2007, prior to a training sortie. Note that the USAF serial is also still carried on the dorsal fin, together with a 39 Squadron badge. On January 23 the Squadron was officially re-formed at the US base, but will ultimately move back to RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, although not until around 2011-2012.

The fuselage of General Atomics Aeronautical System Inc MQ-9 Reaper ZZ209 is lifted out of its travelling container at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan on April 3, 2014. The airframe is one of five more recently deployed to Afghanistan.

Aeronautica Militare MQ-9A Predator B marked AV-SA-0010 with the American serial number 09-160 and the Italian code 32-42.

The first Predator B delivered to 32 Stormo taxiing at Amendola in summer 2010 following its introduction into Italian Air Force service.

This shot of Predator B IT09149 taken at Amendola clearly shows the Honeywell 900 turboprop engine.

The AMI has acquired six MQ-9A Reapers which were first committed to combat operations over Libya during operation Unified Protector.

An MQ-9B landing at Amendola AB after a training mission in one of the areas over the Adriatic Sea dedicated to UAV operations.

An MQ-9 Reaper, assigned to ED 1/33, during an Operation Barkhane mission over Niger.

The armament of Armee de I’Air MQ-9 Reapers is expected to increase overall efficiency and decrease the demand on fighter and tanker aircraft.

One of the three French Reapers photographed outside its maintenance hangar at Niamey.

Разведывательные БПЛА "Харфанг" (на переднем плане) и MQ-9 "Репер"

The Reaper is fitted with a very basic yet effective retractable landing gear and small cameras in the nose for all taking off, landing and taxiing operations.

A French Reaper is manhandled into its hangar by a team of US contractors at the end of a sortie from Niamey.

All French Air Force UAVs are operated by Escadron de Drones 1/33 ‘Belfort’. While the Harfang is powered by a Rotax piston engine, the Reaper is fitted with a turbine.

The Reaper is fitted with a very basic yet effective retractable landing gear and small cameras in the nose for all taking off, landing and taxiing operations.

All Reaper missions are controlled from a well-hidden air-conditioned shelter.

Team SkyGuardian Canada is a similar initiative to the industry partnership GA-ASI has formed with Australian industry for the Australian Defence Force's Project Air 7003, announced at the 2017 Avalon Air Show.

NASA Dryden's newly acquired General Atomics Ikhana (Predator B) UAV, NASA 870, during a sortie on March 5, 2007 from the GA-ASI facility at Gray Butte, California.

Принадлежащий НАСА БЛА Ikhana (невооруженный Reaper, на языке племени Чокто означает "знающий" или "осведомленный") с 2007 года обследует районы пожаров в Калифорнии.

NASA's MQ-9 Predator B, Ikhana, is testing a sense-and-avoid system with the agency's S-3B Viking and a Honeywell Beech 1900D.

In 2018, Ikhana, a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Predator B used to support NASA’s Earth science missions and technology developments, will fly in the US national airspace system without an escort aircraft for the first time.

Maintenance crews prepare NASA’s Ikhana at the Armstrong Flight Research Centre on June 12, 2018, ahead of its test flight to validate key technologies and operations necessary for UAV operations in civil airspace.

The MQ-9 took part in ten days of demonstrations in Greece.

The MQ-9 Guardian has a different configuration to the MQ-9 Reaper.

MQ-9A Block 5 N361HK test flying with an antisubmarine warfare pod during recent trials GA-ASI

The MQ-9A has new automated landing capabilities.

An upgrade is scheduled for Italy's MQ-9s

Altair, подобный Altus, является БЛА гражданского назначения, разработанным на основе военной платформы. В 2007 году данный БЛА интенсивно использовался для борьбы с пожарами в Калифорнии.

The SkyGuardian departed from Grand Forks, North Dakota, and crossed the Atlantic in 24 hours and two minutes. Following its arrival at RAF Fairford on July 11, 2018, it was displayed in the static aircraft park during the 2018.

The recent transatlantic crossing by GA-ASI’s company-owned MQ-9B SkyGuardian was the first time a medium-altitude long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft system had made the journey.

The Royal Air Force witnessed a demonstration of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian in August 2019.

GA-ASI's MQ-9B SkyGuardian arrives at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire to take part in RIAT 2018 after an historic transatlantic flight.

The MQ-9B at RAF Lossiemouth

The first Type Certifiable Predator B (TCPB) on its first flight. The Royal Air Force will receive 20 Protectors, which will be based on the TCPB.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc first flew its MQ-9B SkyGuardian prototype from Gray Butte Field on August 16, 2017; the system successfully achieved its first automatic take-off and landing capability using a satellite communications data link in December 2017.

An MQ-9B will be at RAF Waddington this summer

L3Harris Technologies will supply the radomes for all of the MQ-9Bs.

The Ministry of Defence has ordered 13 more Protector RG Mk Is

MQ-9B SkyGuardian N190TC landed at RAF Fairford on July 11, 2018 after completing the first transatlantic crossing by a medium-altitude long endurance UAV.

Contracts have been signed with several UK companies to integrate weapons on the Protector, which will be based on the MQ-9B SkyGuardian pictured here.

The GA-ASI SkyGuardian explored UAV operation in civil airspace in the NASA trial.

The US-designed MQ-9B, seen here in the latest SkyGuardian/Protector variant, has achieved significant sales success in Europe

The UK’s decision to opt for the SkyGuardian platform will see it acquire a civil airspace-capable MALE UAV ahead of its mainland Europe counterparts

The RAF’s first GA-ASI MQ-9B Protector RG1

The second MQ-9B SkyGuardian will be used to expand the aircraft’s flight envelope and test the certifiable ground control station.
The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale to Belgium of four MQ-9B SkyGuardians plus supporting equipment.

The Protector RG Mk 1 is due for handover to the RAF in 2021 General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

25 сентября 2020г. состоялся первый полет БПЛА Protector RG Mk1, созданного по заказу МО Великобритании американской компанией General Atomics. Protector - это новейший вариант беспилотника MQ-9B Sky Guardian из семейства Predator. В 2024 г. «Протекторы» заменят дроны Reaper той же компании General Atomics, широко использовавшиеся Королевскими ВВС в Афганистане, а в последнее время выполнявшие разведывательные и ударные миссии против Исламского государства в Сирии и Ираке.

The Predator B ER Long Wing flew from GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Test Facility in Palmdale, California. It is contributing to the company’s Certifiable Predator B project.

The Australian Department of Defence has selected the MQ-9 Reaper for its medium-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft requirement.

Australia is adding significant unmanned ISR capabilities to its forces, having ordered up to 12 MQ-9B SkyGuardians from US manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

Belgium is the second European nation to select the MQ-9B

Ground testing of the MQ-9B's structural soundness while carrying Brimstone and Paveway IV as part of the development work for the UK’s Protector RG1, the first three of which are now on firm order.

The Protector RG Mk1 in the McKinley test chamber

General Atomics announced in April 2022 that it had integrated the Seaspray 7500E V2 multi-mode radar onto an MQ-9A Block 5 remotely piloted aircraft and performed its first test flight. The radar is also being fitted to the MQ-9B Sea Guardian variant