Anna Forrester
The U.S. Air Force has fielded a General Atomics-built unmanned Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Extended Range remotely piloted aircraft in support of the service’s Quick Reaction Capability requirement for the company.
General Atomics said Tuesday the modified Reaper includes two wing-mounted fuel tanks, an alcohol/water injection system, a four-bladed propeller and a trailing arm landing gear system.
Frank Pace, president of aircraft systems at General Atomics’ aeronautical systems segment, said the company built the field-retrofittable Reaper ER modification package to bolster the drone’s range and endurance.
He also noted the company has met the Air Force’s QRC requirement, in which the service tasked GA-ASI to have 38 Reaper ER aircraft operational 18 months after the contract award.
The modified Reaper is a finalist in the system category of Aviation Week’s 2015 Program Excellence Awards, General Atomics added.
