Common Atomics Aeronautical Methods, Inc. (GA-ASI) delivered an MQ-9A Reaper® Unmanned Plane Methods (UAS) to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The brand new MQ-9A Block 5 Prolonged Vary (ER) UAS was delivered on April 22, 2025, and shall be operated by Marine Operational Take a look at and Analysis Squadron 1 (VMX-1), a USMC operational check squadron based mostly at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona.
The brand new MQ-9A UAS shall be utilized by the USMC to carry out operational exams and evaluations, in addition to create Marine Aviation ways, methods, and procedures by means of experimentation because the Marines totally implement MQ-9A as a crucial a part of the Marine Air-Floor Activity Power (MAGTF).
“The Marine Corps is constructing out its ISR capabilities with this new plane,” stated GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “We’re excited to see what VMX-1 does by way of operational check in preparation for pushing new capabilities into the sector.”
The MQ-9A ER is designed with field-retrofittable capabilities, equivalent to wing-borne gasoline pods and strengthened touchdown gear, that reach the plane’s endurance to greater than 30 hours whereas additional growing its operational flexibility. It supplies long-endurance, persistent surveillance capabilities, with Full-Movement Video and Artificial Aperture Radar/Shifting Goal Indicator/Maritime Mode Radar. A particularly dependable plane, MQ-9A ER is supplied with a fault-tolerant flight management system and a triple-redundant avionics system structure. It’s engineered to fulfill and exceed manned plane reliability requirements.
To this point, GA-ASI has delivered 18 MQ-9A UAS to USMC. The USMC awaits supply of two extra plane by the top of this yr.
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