In the US, announced the new functionality of the UAV MQ-9 Reaper: "Also an unmanned fighter"

There are reports from the United States that the country's air force is following the path of expanding strike capabilities drone MQ-9 Reaper. This is a multi-purpose American UAV, which, in addition to performing reconnaissance functions, can strike using air-to-surface missiles.

Now, as the American press notes, the MQ-9 Reaper is also being turned into a fighter. In particular, tests of this reconnaissance-strike drone using a high-precision air-to-air missile AIM-9X. Such missiles are commonly used by fifth-generation F-22 and F-35 fighters. In the past few years, the modernization of these aviation missiles to AIM-9X Block 2. The missiles received target designation systems outside the line of sight.

Allegedly, the MQ-9 Reaper drone, while testing a new weapon for itself, successfully destroyed a target in the form of an imitation of a cruise missile. It is added that the AIM-9X will allow him to carry out the destruction of enemy aircraft, including aircraft.
From a message from the American command:

The new missiles significantly expand the functionality of the MQ-9 and allow to increase the combat radius, which effectively turns it into an unmanned fighter.

The US Air Force notes that tests of the AIM-9X Block 2 as a new weapon for the MQ-9 were carried out at the Creech base in Nevada. The target was the BQM-167 UAV, which imitated a cruise missile.

Added that not so long ago, the MQ-9 received increased fuel tanks and a new weapons control system.

Comments

[Victor_B]

The MQ-9 Reaper UAV successfully destroyed a target in the form of an imitation of a cruise missile during testing of a new weapon for itself.

In general, the idea itself is not bad.
As one of the options for combating CD.
Four MiG-31s ​​close 800 km of the front from the Kyrgyz Republic, but it costs VERY big money.
If we consider that it is necessary to work a day, then for that kind of money, you can keep about forty UAVs in the air this day. Continuously!
And the Mig-31 (Su-57, Mig-41, A-50), one for a couple of dozen. If it's necessary.

[svp67]

Quote: Victor_B

If we consider that it is necessary to work a day, then for that kind of money, you can keep about forty UAVs in the air this day. Continuously!

No, somehow there was information that an hour of operation of this UAV was more expensive than an hour of operation of the F-35

[Dodikson]

not Riper and Global Hawk.
these are two different classes of UAVs. The Global is as big as a Boeing passenger.

[Grandfather]

Quote: Dodikson

The Global is as big as a Boeing passenger.

[Grazdanin]

Yes, he is not very healthy, like a corn man.

[hydrox]

Do not mislead the people :: this is not Reaper, but Global Hawk, and all of them are put into reserve

[Grazdanin]

I am writing about the Global Hawk. They both flew and fly. Nobody is going to write them off to the reserve.
Reaper is not much smaller, by the way.

[ximkim]

Probably UAV control is not cheap ..

[Grazdanin]

Quote: svp67

an hour of operation of this UAV is more expensive than an hour of operation of the F-35

They lie. There is nothing expensive there. The engines are old, reliable and economical.

[hydrox]

For reference: the cost of the MQ-9 Reaper at the time of its delivery to the MO is about $ 19 million. I do not think that 40 units. slow-moving Reapers will be able to perform the function of army air defense - this is how many AWACS must be given to this regiment for guidance and target designation ...

[rocket757]

There are reports from the United States that the country's Air Force is following the path of expanding the strike capabilities of the MQ-9 Reaper drone.

So all this is Wishlist! A universal apparatus cannot be very good there, for which it is not intended in any way!
We must see how it goes.

[Escobar]

As Victor M correctly noted above, against cruise missiles that are not able to actively defend themselves, a slowly deflecting UAV, with a much higher level of radio horizon than that of land-based air defense systems and a much longer time in the air than that of manned fighters and a lower cost of an hour of flight, is very good. You can close the sky at distant approaches, hundreds of kilometers from the guarded object, where a relatively small cruise missile sneaks past the radio horizon above the ground, which does not care the maximum range of the s-300/400/500 (the ground is curved and the air defense system will not see the cr on the declared 300/400 / 500 km)

[Temples]

Quote: Eskobar

with a much higher radio horizon

Quote: Eskobar

earth curve

Is this how they teach in school now?

Another generation of such students and the country can be taken without a fight.

[Grandfather]

Quote: Temples

Quote: Eskobar

with a much higher radio horizon

Quote: Eskobar

earth curve

Is this how they teach in school now?

Another generation of such students and the country can be taken without a fight.

flat yet?

[AML]

This is in dry weather, and after rain and snow, ooo, even the asphalt does not withstand the load and adapts to the contours of the ground

[hydrox]

Well, yes, only one percussion Reaper in the amount of hundreds of thousands of pieces. !
You are right, for such an education it is necessary to put the entire Ministry of Education against the wall through one (leave only the technicians and janitors - at least there is no harm from them!)

[rocket757]

ANY concept has its + and -!
The universal concept has - usually MORE!
Manufacturers of all sorts of raptors, reapers and other light-winged animals, WHAT IS NECESSARY ??? Sell, the more the better ... so they pull owls into a wrapper on a gobus !!! They can do that!
For the rich Pinocchio the most THAT! And it doesn't matter what then, all of a sudden, it didn't work ... denyushka has already been received! and they will give it back!
All serious guys adhere to a concept, a strategy that has been worked out for a long time and has not discredited itself in any way !!! While modernizing, improving it and until a REAL, CHECKED, PROVEN, something fundamentally BEST, appears, they will not jump in the direction of various dubious "achievements" of eggheads.
Everything has its time! Will come to .......

[hydrox]

It won't work!
We must expect that Trump will soon choke on his tongue, telling the world another fable about the dignity and mind-blowing capabilities of American weapons.
Especially touching is his story about how the terrible GRU stole the documentation for the Avangard from the Abamka Administration (that is, in the place where this documentation cannot exist in principle! ).

[Cowbra]

In other words, the United States indirectly admitted that the Patriots are fsio))) We will fight the CD with Reapers) Well, it is logical, after the epic oser (such a football club) with the attack of Aramko, the Patriots are very tired of everyone. One problem remains, Reaper is a PLATFORM. Who will detect CD? In the bay, during the attack of Aramko, a couple of destroyers with the vaunted Aegis dangled, AWACS and fighters hang there in the air - and they slept through the RC ... Well, these drones hang - so what? With the same success, you can put a guide for the rocket on the ground. On Reaper, how about CR detection? I strongly suspect that it is worse than on the above mentioned MIGs)))

[hydrox]

Explain, please, HOW this galosh with a speed of 400 km / h will be able to catch up or intercept something, except for a transit crow?

[Escobar]

Anti-aircraft missiles will catch up

[Private-K]

Quote: hydrox

Explain, please, HOW this galosh with a speed of 400 km / h will be able to catch up or intercept something, except for a transit crow?

Reaper with URVV as missile defense - nonsense, no doubt.
Obviously, these are experiments in the use of UAVs with airborne missile systems for sabotage and terrorist purposes: to patrol somewhere and shoot down someone there on an airplane.

[Blackmokona]

And how does the S-300 catch up with and intercept someone?

[Cowbra]

The S-300 has means of target detection ...

[hydrox]

It's just that the peasant does not understand that an air defense missile with a seeker (and albeit with a radar) SAMA finds its target and knocks it down, and the fighter is therefore called an "interceptor" because it performs a certain basic function, but not necessarily with the destruction of the target.

[Blackmokona]

Doesn't the MQ-9 Reaper have it? Or there is no self-knowledge head on the AIM-9

[fider]

hydrox

It's just that the peasant does not understand that an air defense missile with a seeker (and albeit with a radar) itself finds its target and shoots it down

Laughing: Why then ground locators?
First, the locator finds the target, and then the rocket captures it.

[hydrox]

Well, the radar found a target at a distance of a thousand kilometers, what do you think the rocket that is supposed to hit it should do (it itself is not capable of flying that distance)?

[Shuttle]

18 kilometers of Sidewinder? I wonder what type of aviation besides civilian aircraft are the Americans going to clear the sky with with the help of these controlled lawn mowers?

[APASUS]

Who makes the decision to destroy the target of the MQ-9 Reaper? At the same time, the UAV guidance itself is very interesting

[Wolf]

It's just to gain experience for a full-fledged fighter drone. When the fighter drone technology has worked out, then full-fledged fighter drones will begin to rivet and a NEW ERA OF AIRPLANATION will begin.
Thousands of them can be riveted, but pilots for whom you need not spend years of training.
Ochim smart move and dangerous move amerikosov.
This is the future of military aviation.

[Wolf]

In addition, no diapers are needed, they will fight without fear, and they can rivet thousands of them!

[syndicalist]

Print on a 3D printer

[Grazdanin]

Quite right. Just working out technologies, no one will massively remake the current rippers.

[Jacket in stock]

It is quite logical.
If a large drone can lift into the air and launch a rocket, what difference does it make whether to shoot at a ground or overhead target.
Well, yes, detection tools are needed, so they are already there.
And that, by the way, prevents them from updating and adding sensitivity too.
And the target is still the simplest, it flies slowly, practically does not maneuver ...

[Grazdanin]

In the same exercises, the Hydra 70 (converted into a guided missile) with the F16 shot down an imitation of the missile launcher.
This class of missiles for UAVs is interesting, a versatile weapon against ground and air means. The ability of UAVs to shoot down each other is becoming relevant.

[voyaka uh]

Can't be called a fighter.
Rather, a cruise missile interceptor.
A real fighter will shoot down this drone with ease.

[zwlad]

So Yes.
But if there are 20 of them?
I may sound paranoid, but it starts to smell like Skynet from Terminator.

[voyaka uh]

There will be, but other drones are jet. Which can fly at a cruising speed of 0.8 MAX and maneuver more or less decently.

Like this one - Kratos, or similar

[Elephant]

Quote: voyaka uh

A real fighter will shoot down this drone with ease.

What will it bring? Exactly the same air-to-air missile as on a drone?

[Karaul73]

Nice apparatus. With a large modernization reserve.