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United States General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-9A Reaper
A turboprop-powered hunter-killer UAV that succeeded the MQ-1 Predator, providing US and allied forces with persistent armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. It has been the primary American medium-altitude strike drone in counterterrorism and conventional operations for over a decade.
In service since 2007 · 15 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
480
km/h
1,850
km range
15,240
m ceiling
1,700
kg payload
💲 ≈ $32,000,000, Flyaway cost is generally cited around $30 to 34 million per aircraft based on 2024 and 2025 Department of Defense budget figures, excluding ground control stations and full sensor and weapons integration, which can push a fully equipped operational package above $100 million.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 15 operators
In service since 2007. Status: active · ~350 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$80M – $112M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
The MQ-9A Reaper is General Atomics' medium-altitude, long-endurance drone and the workhorse of persistent armed surveillance. It can loiter for many hours, fusing electro-optical, infrared and radar sensors to track targets, then strike them with precision-guided munitions such as Hellfire missiles. That combination of endurance, sensors and organic strike capability, controlled by remote crews, made it the defining hunter-killer platform of the post-2001 counterterrorism era.
Operated by the US Air Force and allies including Britain, France, Italy and others, the Reaper has flown vast numbers of ISR and strike sorties across the Middle East, Africa and beyond, and remains in wide service even as newer, stealthier unmanned concepts emerge.
In 2023 a US MQ-9 was forced down over the Black Sea after a Russian fighter intercepted it, a well-documented incident that highlighted both the drone's exposure in contested airspace and its role in monitoring conflict zones. Reapers have also featured in operations around Yemen and the wider Middle East through the 2022-2026 conflicts, though they remain vulnerable to modern air defences, which is steadily pushing their use toward less contested environments.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the MQ-9A Reaper can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 480 km/h |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 313 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 1,850 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 15,240 m |
| Endurance Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms, higher means longer persistent coverage. | 27 h |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 7 |
|---|---|
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 1,700 kg |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 11 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 20.1 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 2,223 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 4,760 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 0 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 1 |
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 900 hp |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turboprop, pusher propeller |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | AN/AAS-52 Multi-Spectral Targeting System, Lynx AN/APY-8 SAR radar |
|---|---|
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Ku-band SATCOM, LOS datalink |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $32,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 350 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 15 |
Specifications compiled from public General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Turkish Aerospace Industries ANKA-S Head-to-head comparisons
MQ-9A Reaper vs
Shahed-136 
CH-5 (Caihong-5) 
Harop 
Lancet-3 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has a maximum speed of 480 km/h.
What is the range of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has a maximum range of 1,850 km.
What is the weapons payload of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper can carry up to 1,700 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper weigh? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has a combat weight of 4,760 kg.
How many crew does the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper require? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper requires a crew of 0.
What engine does the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper use? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper is powered by the Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop.
What is the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper used for? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper is a uav / drone typically used for isr, close air support, deep strike.
How many countries operate the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper is operated by 15 countries.
How much does the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper cost? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has an approximate unit cost of 32,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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