MQ-9 Reaper
OEM: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
First Produced: 2007
Status: Active
Role: Armed medium-altitude long-endurance UAS
Primary Operator: U.S. Air Force / CIA / allied operators
OEM Website: ga-asi.com
The MQ-9 Reaper is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, armed uncrewed aerial system capable of carrying up to eight Hellfire missiles or a mix of laser-guided bombs. Its 27-hour endurance and multi-sensor payload made it the defining platform of the post-2001 counterterrorism era.
The Air Force began divestment of legacy MQ-9As in 2021 and retained a reduced force for contingency and allied-support roles. MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian variants continue to sell internationally, and the system's role is evolving toward contested-environment enabling and communications relay.
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