In the last 21 years the US Air Force has used MQ-1 drones Predator, to then place the MQ-9 in the flight line Reaper during the last 10. From the 2018 we will say goodbye to the first.
The commander of the 432nd Operations Group, Colonel Joseph, in an interview published on the official website of the US Air Force, explains how the transition from a combined line of MQ-1 and MQ-9 to one based exclusively on the second model is indispensable to keep up with an ever-changing operating environment.
Il Predator it was not originally designed to carry weapons, resulting in the next limit in the war load at a hundred kilos. The demand for greater attack capabilities has long made it necessary to go beyond the MQ-1.
With the MQ-9 Reaper the payload has risen to over 1.700 pounds with the ability to carry both missiles and bombs. The new platform has also increased performance in terms of speed, autonomy and sensor resolution.
The tasks of the Predator originating were mainly real-time information gathering and reconnaissance, the MQ-9 has turned into a real CAS platform (Close Air Support, close air support).
The col. Finally, Joseph underlined an important operational aspect: the confidence developed over time by the troops on the ground.
In short, on the battlefields the awareness of having an armed drone overhead ready to intervene and with the ability to see well beyond (and sometimes better) one's horizon seems appreciated. Especially by those who can say that soldiers, when needed, shoot.
(photo: US Air Force)
