MQ-9 Reaper Drone: Range, Weapons and How It Is Flown
MQ-9 Reaper drone explained: range, endurance, weapons, two-person crew, missions and the Air Force’s plans for its replacement.
Short answer: The MQ-9 Reaper drone is a large, remotely piloted aircraft flown by the U.S. Air Force for surveillance and precision strikes. Built by General Atomics, it is flown by a two-person crew (a pilot and a sensor operator) from a ground control station, often thousands of miles away. It can carry Hellfire missiles and laser- or GPS-guided bombs and has a listed range of 1,150 miles, or 1,611 miles with extra fuel tanks. The Reaper reached initial operating capability in October 2007.
Last updated: October 28, 2026
- Builder: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
- Role: intelligence collection first, strike second
- Crew: two, flying remotely (pilot and sensor operator)
- Range: 1,150 miles; 1,611 miles in extended-range form
- Weapons: Hellfire missiles, Paveway II and JDAM-family bombs
- In service since: October 2007 (initial operating capability)
What the MQ-9 Reaper is
The Air Force MQ-9 fact sheet says the Reaper “is employed primarily as an intelligence-collection asset and secondarily against dynamic execution targets.” Its long loiter time, sensors, communications and precision weapons let it find, watch and strike “high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets.”
The designation explains the role: “M” means multi-role, “Q” means remotely piloted aircraft system, and “9” means it is the ninth in the series. The Air Force says the Reaper is larger and more powerful than the MQ-1 Predator it followed.
The fact sheet lists a wide range of missions beyond surveillance and strike, including close air support, combat search and rescue, convoy and raid overwatch, route clearance and terminal air guidance.
How a Reaper is flown
The Reaper is part of a larger system. The Air Force says a full system includes the aircraft, a ground control station, a satellite link, spare equipment, and operations and maintenance crews for round-the-clock missions.
The basic crew is two people: “a rated pilot to control the aircraft and command the mission, and an enlisted aircrew member to operate sensors and guide weapons.”
The Air Force’s main method is called remote split operations. A small team at a forward airfield handles takeoff and landing using a line-of-sight data link. Once the aircraft is airborne, a crew in the continental United States takes over through satellite links. The Air Force says this reduces the number of personnel deployed overseas and simplifies logistics. The aircraft can also be taken apart, packed into a single container and flown anywhere aboard a C-130 or larger transport.
Sensors and weapons
Sensors. The Reaper carries the Multi-Spectral Targeting System, which combines an infrared sensor, color and monochrome daylight TV cameras, a shortwave infrared camera, a laser designator and a laser illuminator. Video from each sensor can be viewed separately or fused. It also carries a synthetic aperture radar, which can see through clouds.
Weapons. The fact sheet says the MQ-9 can carry up to eight AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, described as having “highly accurate, low-collateral damage, anti-armor and anti-personnel engagement capabilities.” It can also carry GBU-12 Paveway II and GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II laser-guided bombs, and GBU-38 and GBU-54 JDAM-family bombs.
Specs at a glance
Figures come from the Air Force fact sheet. “ER” is the extended-range version with external fuel tanks.
| Feature | MQ-9 Reaper |
|---|---|
| Contractor | General Atomics Aeronautical Systems |
| Engine | Honeywell TPE331-10GD turboprop, 900 shaft horsepower |
| Wingspan | 66 feet (20.1 m) |
| Length | 36 feet (11 m) |
| Empty weight | 4,900 lb (2,223 kg) |
| Max takeoff weight | 10,500 lb; ER 11,700 lb |
| Payload | 3,750 lb (1,701 kg) |
| Range | 1,150 miles; ER 1,611 miles |
| Crew (remote) | 2 (pilot and sensor operator) |
| Unit cost | $56.5 million for four aircraft with sensors, a ground station and satellite link (fiscal 2011 dollars) |
| Initial operating capability | October 2007 |
Extended range and the Reaper’s future
The Air Force says the MQ-9 has been modified for extended-range operations by adding external fuel tanks holding 1,300 pounds of fuel. The change also adds an extra propeller blade and an alcohol-water injection system to help takeoff performance.
The Reaper is still being bought in small numbers. The Congressional Research Service’s review of the fiscal 2027 budget lists a request of $0.77 billion for five aircraft in the line covering the MQ-9 Reaper and the Marine Corps’ Group 5 drone.
The Air Force is also planning what comes next, as covered in our report on the MQ-9 replacement effort. Jet-powered Collaborative Combat Aircraft, described in our guide to sixth-generation fighters, are a different class of drone built to fly alongside fighters rather than loiter for hours.
Peter’s World’s view
The Reaper made long-endurance armed drones a routine part of U.S. operations, and its key innovation was organizational as much as technical: crews in the United States flying aircraft based overseas. Its strengths, endurance and sensors, depend on operating in airspace where it is not heavily threatened. That is why the official planning now points toward replacements and toward cheaper, more expendable drones for contested battlefields.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MQ-9 Reaper used for?
The Air Force uses it primarily for intelligence collection and secondarily for precision strikes against time-sensitive targets, along with missions such as close air support and search and rescue.
Who flies the MQ-9 Reaper?
A two-person crew, a pilot and an enlisted sensor operator, flies it remotely from a ground control station.
How far can an MQ-9 Reaper fly?
The Air Force lists a range of 1,150 miles, or 1,611 miles for the extended-range version with external fuel tanks.
What weapons does the MQ-9 Reaper carry?
It can carry up to eight Hellfire missiles, plus laser-guided Paveway II bombs and GPS-guided JDAM-family bombs.
How much does an MQ-9 Reaper cost?
The Air Force lists $56.5 million in fiscal 2011 dollars for a package of four aircraft with sensors, a ground control station and a satellite link.
Who makes the MQ-9 Reaper?
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems builds the MQ-9.
This article was written by Peter with AI assistance and checked against the sources linked. See our AI use disclosure.
Sources
- U.S. Air Force: MQ-9 Reaper fact sheet
- Congressional Research Service: FY2027 Defense Budget: Funding for Selected Weapon Systems (R49023)
