Posted on Sep 10, 2021
Marine Corps' First MQ-9A Takes Flight In Arizona - Breaking Defense
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The Marine Corps this week announced the first flight of a service-owned MQ-9A Reaper at Marine Corps Aircraft Station Yuma, Ariz., a key milestone for the service to eventually place Marines at the controls of the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drone.
“This noteworthy flight is the culmination of three years of training, safety and operational planning, contractor maintenance, process development and staff analysis of risk management to ensure complete procedural adherence to Navy and Marine Corps aviation policies,” the service said in a Sept. 7 statement. The unmanned squadron that owns the MQ-9A used during the flight is a part of 3rd Marine Air Wing.
The Marine Corps has been eyeing the MQ-9A, originally built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and commonly employed by the Air Force, for several years. The significance of the Aug. 30 flight is who owns and operates the drone.
Historically, the few MQ-9s used by the Marine Corps have been contractor owned and operated. In other words, the service pays the company to pilot the drone when necessary for the mission at hand. The advantage to this approach is the service doesn’t have to spend time or money training Marines on how to use the aircraft.
“This noteworthy flight is the culmination of three years of training, safety and operational planning, contractor maintenance, process development and staff analysis of risk management to ensure complete procedural adherence to Navy and Marine Corps aviation policies,” the service said in a Sept. 7 statement. The unmanned squadron that owns the MQ-9A used during the flight is a part of 3rd Marine Air Wing.
The Marine Corps has been eyeing the MQ-9A, originally built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and commonly employed by the Air Force, for several years. The significance of the Aug. 30 flight is who owns and operates the drone.
Historically, the few MQ-9s used by the Marine Corps have been contractor owned and operated. In other words, the service pays the company to pilot the drone when necessary for the mission at hand. The advantage to this approach is the service doesn’t have to spend time or money training Marines on how to use the aircraft.
Marine Corps' First MQ-9A Takes Flight In Arizona - Breaking Defense
Posted from breakingdefense.com
General Atomics
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Posted 3 y ago
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By the Corps going in this direction really undermines what I've always believed the Corps' mantra to be: Expeditionary. The MQ-9, while a venerable ISR and attack asset, is bound to an improved airfield. So the same reason the Corps has spent billions on the F-35B is negated by the Reaper's need for a runway. Sure, the Corps has other fixed wing assets that need a runway, but they have much longer "legs" and can ALL be aerial refueled. Its estimated combat radius is about 600nm that is under ideal conditions and doesn't leave much TOS. If the Reaper is improved with refueling capabilities then that would be something to consider. Still, it is a bada$$ proven platform.
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