GA-ASI MQ-9 Reaper

[TomS]

So what?

It's about like saying they managed to shoot down a target drone... Reapers don't have any defensive systems like chaff, flares, decoys, RWRs, MAWS, etc installed.

Seems odd to me that they are not flying with the Self-Protection pod that GA demonstrated years ago.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Seems odd to me that they are not flying with the Self-Protection pod that GA demonstrated years ago.

Agreed, but we all know that the DoD makes some absolutely WTF-inspiring decisions.

 

[TomcatViP]

It´s better they spend their missiles on Reapers and Predators than on airliners.
If the Reaper were too much protected, this would not work.

 

[Scott Kenny]

It´s better they spend their missiles on Reapers and Predators than on airliners.
If the Reaper were too much protected, this would not work.

Granted, I'm just getting annoyed by the propaganda claims of "we shot down a US plane!!!eleventyone!" Needs the DOD to drop the James May "Oh, no, how sad. Anyway..." meme in response. Every time.

 

[TomS]

It´s better they spend their missiles on Reapers and Predators than on airliners.
If the Reaper were too much protected, this would not work.

I just had a look on FR24 and the only airliners flying over Yemen right now are Yemenia flights from Dubai and Cairo. No other operator is crazy enough to route over Yemen; they're staying well offshore through the Gulf of Aden or in Saudi airspace.

 

[Ainen]

So what?

It's about like saying they managed to shoot down a target drone... Reapers don't have any defensive systems like chaff, flares, decoys, RWRs, MAWS, etc installed.

Well, it's one hell of a target drone. Some modern multirole fighters cost about as much.

Agreed, but we all know that the DoD makes some absolutely WTF-inspiring decisions.

Iirc they're working to add a podded self-defense suit to them, but it's only in future.

 

[TomcatViP]

I just had a look on FR24 and the only airliners flying over Yemen right now are Yemenia flights from Dubai and Cairo. No other operator is crazy enough to route over Yemen; they're staying well offshore through the Gulf of Aden or in Saudi airspace.

Really? Was that the sense of my meaning? Is that what you can only see out of the Houthis actions?
C'mon, I know you know better.

 

[Forest Green]

I just had a look on FR24 and the only airliners flying over Yemen right now are Yemenia flights from Dubai and Cairo. No other operator is crazy enough to route over Yemen; they're staying well offshore through the Gulf of Aden or in Saudi airspace.

Well they're targeting civilian vessels, so there's no reason they wouldn't target air traffic too.

 

[TomS]

Really? Was that the sense of my meaning? Is that what you can only see out of the Houthis actions?
C'mon, I know you know better.

I understood you to mean that if we don't give the Houthis drones to shoot at, they would shoot at airliners instead. My point is that there are no foreign airliners flying over Yemen for them to shoot at.

 

[TomS]

Well they're targeting civilian vessels, so there's no reason they wouldn't target air traffic too.

My point is that airliners are keeping well out of range of Houthi SAMs.

 

[Forest Green]

MQ-9 Reapers Gathered In Florida, Simulated Fighting Over South China Sea

The recent Reaper Smoke competition included a scenario based on a simulated mission over Mischief Reef, a key flashpoint in the highly strategic region. The recent Reaper Smoke competition included a scenario based on a simulated mission over Mischief Reef, a key flashpoint in the highly...

www.twz.com

 

[aonestudio]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1835833381973578040

View: https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1835833381973578040

 

[raptor82]

Italian Navy eyes MQ-9B STOL for Carrier-Based Airborne Early Warning role – Alert 5

 

[Scott Kenny]

Italian Navy eyes MQ-9B STOL for Carrier-Based Airborne Early Warning role – Alert 5

Yes, if you don't mind datalinking the radar down to a control center on the ship it's an improvement over the Merlins. Much longer loiter time, higher altitude so you get more warning time.

Did the AEW Merlins have radar controllers onboard the helo (like a Hawkeye) or does it datalink the data down to the ship?

 

[Ainen]

Yes, if you don't mind datalinking the radar down to a control center on the ship it's an improvement over the Merlins. Much longer loiter time, higher altitude so you get more warning time.

Available onboard power will be miserable, though

 

[raptor82]

MQ-9B AEW&C：

The Expanding Market for AEW&C Solutions

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and heightened tensions along NATO’s eastern flank, coupled with multi-domain operations in the Indo-Pacific Region, have placed considerable pressure on NATO members’ ageing fleets of manned Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft.

euro-sd.com

The MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is a potential candidate to conduct persistent wide-area surveillance/airborne early warning (AEW) from land and aircraft carriers, in the latter thanks to proof-of-concept demonstrations to be conducted starting from this autumn in the US. General Atomics has conducted concept development and engineering studies to see if the MQ-9B could conduct different demanding operations including AEW missions supported by a radar manufacturer. During the Combined Naval Event 2023 conference at Farnborough in the UK, General Atomics showed an MQ-9B-based AEW&C solution with IFF and BMC2 capabilities. This configuration of the MQ-9B platform was equipped with a dual-pod radar solution, with each underwing pod accommodating a radar antenna. The platform also featured a central conformal pod hosting the processing and cooling capabilities.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Available onboard power will be miserable, though

So install a bigger alternator on the engine and turn up the FADEC.

They're already installing a new wing on this version.

 

[aim9xray]

And they are testing the replacement of the TPE331 engine with a PT6 variant...