Initial operating capability is planned for 2009.
In August 2005, a version of Predator B, called Sky Warrior, was chosen for the four-year system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the US Army’s extended range / multi-purpose (ER/MP) UAV programme – 11 Sky Warrior systems, each with 12 air vehicles and five ground control stations. “The Predator B unmanned air vehicle has an operational ceiling of 50,000ft.” The Predator is to be flight tested with a L-3 communications tactical common datalink (TCDL). Lynx also features ground moving target indicator technology. The MQ-9 sensor payload can include the General Atomics Lynx SAR (synthetic aperture radar). In May 2008, a USAF Reaper successfully test dropped four Raytheon GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II 500lb bombs, which have laser and GPS guidance. It can carry up to four Hellfire II anti-armour missiles and two laser-guided bombs (GBU-12 or EGBU-12) and 500lb GBU-38 JDAM (joint direct attack munition). The MQ-9 Reaper has an operational ceiling of 50,000ft, a maximum internal payload of 800lb and external payload over 3,000lb. The MQ-9 Reaper flew its first operational mission in Iraq in July 2008. The USAF first deployed the MQ-9 Reaper to Afghanistan in October 2007, where it is being used for precision strikes. A decision on full-rate production of the MQ-9 is expected in 2009. The first USAF MQ-9 squadron, the 42nd Attack Squadron, was formed in March 2007. 21 MQ-9 have been ordered and eight delivered to the USAF. In March 2005, the USAF awarded a further contract for the system design and development (SDD) of MQ-9 Reaper Hunter / Killer. The upgraded Predator, the Predator B, has been operational in the Balkans since April 2001.
#PREDATOR DRONE UPGRADE#
The upgrade also covers a more powerful turbocharged engine and wing de-icing systems to enable year-round operations. System upgrades include development of an improved relief-on-station (ROS) system which allows continuous coverage over areas of interest without any loss of time on station, secure air traffic control voice relay, Ku-band satellite tuning and implementation of an air force mission support system (AFMSS). In May 1998 General Atomics was awarded a block 1 upgrade contract to expand the capabilities of the Predator system. A Northrop Grumman Bat submunition was successfully dropped and a FINDER mini-UAV launched from a Predator UAV in August 2002. In November 2002 in Yemen, a Predator UAV was used to drop a Hellfire missile which destroyed a civilian vehicle carrying suspected terrorists. In February 2001, the Hellfire-C laser-guided missile was successfully fired from a Predator air vehicle in flight tests at Nellis air force base, Nevada. General Atomics is the prime contractor and the main subcontractors include: Versatron / Wescam for the electro-optical Skyball Gimbal Northrop Grumman for the synthetic aperture radar 元 Communication for the wideband satellite communications link and Boeing for the intelligence workstation and mission planning system. The MQ-1 Predator achieved initial operating capability (IOC) in February 2005. When the feed is re-established, one of the drone's propellers has been visibly damaged.Predator UAVs have been operational in Bosnia since 1995 in support of Nato, UN and US operations and as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom, flying over 500,000 flight hours on over 50,000 flights. Then at 29 seconds into the video, the jet can be seen appearing to collide with the MQ-9 Reaper drone and the video feed is lost.
One of the Russian jets can be seen approaching the drone, before it twice releases a long plume of what appears to be fuel into the air while passing. military said it shows the events in sequential order. While the 43-second video has been edited for length and not verified by NBC News, the U.S. The incident is the first known direct confrontation between the two superpowers since Moscow invaded its neighbor last year, and comes at a time of mounting tensions over Western support for Kyiv. Russia has denied its planes came “into contact” with the drone and said the United States was to blame, warning Washington to cease "hostile" surveillance flights near its borders to help Ukraine. officials earlier told NBC News that the Kremlin leadership had approved the aggressive actions of two Russian jets involved in the incident in an apparent effort to throw the drone off course or disable its surveillance capabilities.
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