[Ryan]
As the saying goes, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but what about an old drone? Well, the Air Force is trying to find that out.
Say hello to the MQ-9 Reaper; it’s always ready to take on high-threat missions where sending in manned aircraft just isn’t an option. For nearly two decades, it’s primarily been used to gather intelligence and deliver precision-guided munitions on specific targets.
Built by General Atomics and typically operated from traditional runways, the Air Force is starting to rethink the MQ-9 as the service continues to prepare for great power competition.
Enter Exercise Reaper Castillo. From early November to mid-December, the 65th Special Operations Squadron out of Hurlburt Field, Florida, focused on demonstrating the MQ-9’s capabilities by landing 1,200 miles away on the dirt strips of Melrose Air Force Range in New Mexico. The goal was to operate out of an austere environment and get the Reaper back in the air quickly to resume its mission.
By all accounts, they successfully pushed MQ-9 operations beyond the usual limits while collaborating with different AFSOC wings.
Commander of the 65th, Lieutenant Colonel Kurtis Paul, states that the exercise proved the Reaper is a valuable asset for special operations, even in challenging locations without a sophisticated runway.