There are plans to keep the MQ-9 Reaper in service until the 2030s due to its outstanding and dependable operation. The MQ-9 Reaper made headlines in 2008 when it was announced the Air National Guard in New York was beginning a transition from converting F-16 pilot fighters to MQ-9A operators. It is considered the first “hunter-killer UAV” with a design that promotes high altitude and long endurance missions. The United States Air Force primarily uses the MQ-9 Reaper though it is also used by the Navy, CIA, and NASA.

General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (also called Predator B) is one of the most popular military drones. Image: Af.milįast Facts: 300 mph (max speed), 194 mph (cruise speed), 14 hours endurance There are different ways to launch and recover UAVs, including hand launches. Military drones get produced in a number of sizes. Northrop Grumman X-47 is a demonstrator drone after a successful first launch in the early-2000s. Navy is among the last branches to get on board with incorporating military drones into operations. The Navy version is known as the X-47B while the original drone is called the X-47A Pegasus.

Northrop Grumman X-47 serves as a demonstration UAV. (max takeoff weight), 40,000 feet (service ceiling) The impressive range of the smaller drone helps support Army operations though it is restricted in bad weather conditions. The UAV is launched from a trailer-mounted catapult and requires arresting gear on an aircraft to recover the device.Īrmy troops have sought an effective battlefield drone since the cancellation of the Alliant RQ-6 Outrider. Army offering reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities. The AAI RQ-7 Shadow is primarily for the U.S.

Image: įast Facts: 130 mph (max speed), 81 mph (cruise speed), 6/9 hours endurance Updates on the Avenger enable it to support internal weapons storage.Īfter a successful first flight in 2009, the General Atomics Avenger was deployed to Afghanistan. It is powered by a turbofan engine, unlike previous models like the MQ-9 Reaper. The military drone is primarily used by the Air Force. The Avenger by General Atomics supports a ground control crew of two members. Image: įast Facts: 460 mph (max speed), 402 mph (cruise speed), 18 hours of endurance Avenger (General Atomics) An Avenger drone. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles is skyrocketing with no end in sight.Īfter learning about the military UAVs listed (below) you also may want to consider what it takes to become an operator for the Army or Marines. It’s also estimated that the government has several more billions in UAV spending that do not get reported because of classified programs. government currently plans to spend close to $38 billion on military drones. government is the largest leading in military drone spending with an estimated $2.9 billion currently dedicated to UAVs.īy the end of the decade, the U.S. Settling the drone controversy is a subject for another article, so in this one, we will focus on the specific types of UAVs the military currently uses on the battlefield. The theory is that drones can save military lives yet there are plenty of critics that add they also take innocent lives in the process. Military has relied upon drones for several coordinated attacks that in the past would have required more soldiers on the ground. The primary advantage of UAVs is that the device does not need an onboard human pilot.Ĭonsequently, the U.S. Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, have powerful capabilities when it comes to surveillance and reconnaissance.įurthermore, military drones are capable of sending missiles or bombs in drone strikes. The most profound innovation in military warfare in the last several decades, if not the last century, is the introduction of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Gaining any advantage on the battlefield is fundamental to survival and winning wars. government has experimented with advanced weapons that could be used on the battlefield for decades. Why The Sudden Explosion of Military Drones? Military drones keep more ground troops out of harm’s way by delivering reconnaissance and surveillance, as well as aerial fire support. Why The Sudden Explosion of Military Drones?.

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