Since then first armed drone These unmanned vehicles were launched in the Afghanistan War in 2001 and have become one of the most successful more sophisticated weapon systems and used by the US military. This drone, the MQ-1 which was unsuccessfully used to attack a man believed to be Osama Bin Laden, has a much more powerful heir: the MQ-9 Reaper.
The MQ-9 Reaper is designed for attack, surveillance and intelligence missions can operate thousands of kilometers away. In the last few months It has been seen in the Caribbean and in areas near Venezuelaas the conflict between Donald Trump and Nicolás Maduro escalates amid heavy US military deployment in the region.
He MQ-9 Reaperalso known as “Reaper”, represents the most advanced development of the United States combat drones. Achieves a close speed of more than 300 kilometers per hour and has an autonomy of up to 27 hours in flightwhich allows it to cover large areas without interruptions, reports the BBC. Its system far surpasses previous models both in range and carrying capacity.
He MQ-9 Reaper may Transporting Hellfire missiles And Guided bombsin addition to advanced sensors and high-resolution cameras. Its structure is more than 20 meters wide and almost five tons weightfeatures a reinforced chassis and more powerful electrical systems than its predecessor, the MQ-1 Predator. These functions allow you to take off and land with full armament and sustain longer missions, even with additional fuel stored on board.
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What is the MQ-9 Reaper combat drone, the deadliest in the United States?
The MQ-9 Reaper was developed by the company General Atomics with the aim of offering an aviation platform capable of carrying out high-precision air-to-ground attacks while carrying out surveillance and reconnaissance tasks. According to the BBCeach unit has one cost more than $16 million and the United States operates nearby hundred of these devices by various military authorities.
According to the agency EFEThe Reaper is an armed multi-role aircraft with remote control and Designed to attack moving targets. It entered service in 2007 and became the centerpiece of U.S. military operations in various theaters. This drone was used in the operation that ended with the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020.
The BBC pointed out that its use is not limited to armed conflicts, but also was used for control and monitoring tasks in various countries where the United States maintains a military presence. Its deployment reflects the powers’ growing interest in unmanned aerial vehicles as part of their strategic tools in various operations.
In parallel to the use of drones such as the MQ-9 Reaper, the USA maintains an unusually large military operation in the Caribbean and in waters near Venezuela. As the AP agency reports, the US Southern Command assumes that there are some 15,000 soldiers are deployed in the regionthe biggest effort in generations for decades.
That contingent includes significant numbers, as well as members of the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, according to U.S. officials Presence of the largest aircraft carrier in the worldthe USS Gerald Ford, fighter jets and drones. Featured assets also include destroyers, cruisers, submarines and advanced aircraft, as well as the MQ-9 Reaper drones operating out of Puerto Rico.
The pentagon A detailed breakdown of the number of aircraft or drones was not providedHowever, confirmed that the military presence was part of security and control operations in the region.
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