The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drone was originally known as the Predator B. It is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), capable of remote controlled flight operations, The ironwork was developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal Air Force, and the Italian Air Force.The MQ-9 and other UAVs are referred to as Remotely Piloted Vehicles/Aircraft (RPV/RPA) by the U.S. Air Force to indicate their human remote ground simulated controllers.The MQ-9 is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance.
The Reaper is a larger and more capable aircraft than the earlier Predator , and it can be controlled by the same ground systems. The Reaper's 950-shaft-horsepower (712 kW) turboprop engine, makes it far more powerful than the Predator's 115 hp (86 kW) piston engine. The increase in power allows the Reaper to carry 15 times more payload and run around at three times the speed of the Predator. Although the Drone can fly pre-programmed routes by itself, the aircraft is always monitored or controlled by aircrew in the Ground Control Station (GCS) and weapons deployment is always commanded by the ground flight crew.
Then U.S. Air Force have since moved from using UAVs primarily in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance roles before Operation Iraqi Freedom, to a true hunter-killer role with the Reaper.
General Atomics Reaper was a proof-of-concept aircraft, which first flew on 2 February 2001. The Drone was powered by a Signal Garret on a turboprop engine with 950 shp (712 kW). It had an airframe that was based on the standard Predator airframe, except with an enlarged body and wings that were lengthened from 48 feet (14.6 m) to 66 feet (20 m) speed 220 knots (390 km/h) and could carry a payload of 750 pounds (340 kilograms) to an altitude of 50,000 feet (15.2 kilometers) for 30 hours.
The company refined the design, taking it in two separate directions. The first was a jet-powered version; fitted with a Williams FJ44-2A that gave it a payload capacity of 475 pounds (215 kilograms), a ceiling of 60,000 feet (18.3 kilometers) and flight hours of 12 hours.
The second referred to by GA as the "Altair", which has a new airframe with an 84-foot (25.6 m) wingspan and a takeoff weight of about 7,000 pounds (3,175 kg) with a payload capacity of 3,000 pounds (1,360 kg), a maximum ceiling of 52,000 feet (15.8 km), and flight hours of 36 hours.
