[Travis McGee]

I'll bet the Dept of Homeland Security can't wait to get some of these babies.

With a 66-foot wingspan, the Reaper is roughly the size of the A-10 attack airplane, and can carry 3,000 pounds of weapons—more than 10 times the capacity of the Predator. It can fly at up to 288 miles per hour, allowing it to transit from an operating base to a patrol area almost twice as fast as the Predator. The typical on-station time is 15 hours. It can cruise at 50,000 feet “clean”—that is, without weapons—but typically flies at about 30,000 feet, fully loaded.

“People call it ‘Predator on steroids,’ but it’s really more than that,” Greene asserted.

The Predator is described as a “killer scout”—dedicated chiefly to ISR but with a limited ability to shoot at targets of opportunity. However, the Reaper is defined as a “hunter killer,” meaning that it is dedicated to strike and yet still has sizeable ISR capabilities, including electro-optical, infrared, low-light TV, and synthetic aperture radar.

Air Combat Command compares the Reaper less to a Predator than to an F-16 fighter, which is meant to attack ground targets but which can use targeting pods to collect and transmit full-motion video to air operations centers and troops on the ground.

Guiding the Reaper The typical Reaper weapons load includes two GBU-12 laser guided bombs and four AGM-114 Hellfire laser guided missiles, but it can carry up to four LGBs. It eventually will carry both 500-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions and 250-pound Small Diameter Bombs. These GPS guided weapons will allow Reaper to precisely attack targets through bad weather.

[kms61]

the obvious achilles heel of these things is the command and control network. No doubt potential adversaries like China have plans for cyberattacks in the event of conflict.

[woollyone]

“And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.”

[sam_paine]

In less than a year, the Air Force has brought into combat service its newest and most lethal unmanned aerial vehicle, the MQ-9 Reaper. A special squadron is simultaneously developing tactics, training flight crews, and operating the UAV in battle.

Another example of the side-effect of being in "the wrong war."

In peacetime, Generals' pet projects (Crusader artillery, etc) are funded. During a war, when troops are being "worn out" we're getting experience that can't be simulated and real-world battle-testing of weapons for the current and next war.

The russkies are flying 50 year old propaganda missions with empty bombers. Americans are flying 21st 'terminator' drones with hot weapons.

[ASA Vet]

Joint MI & SOCOM Ping.

Thanks Travis

[Deut28]

Given the amount of time these things can remain airborne, I assume they would have zero problems reaching any point in Iran.

[GreyFriar]

I demand a congressional investigation on why the military is using steroids to increase the power of its predators! That makes it unfair to non-steriod using predators and other militaries that can not afford to buy steriods for its predators.

[A Strict Constructionist]

“Predator on steroids,”

Don’t tell Congress, about the steroids, they’ll start new hearings and kill the project.

[Dick Vomer]

me want!!! Please, me want for Christmas or Birthday!!!

[slowhandluke]

Air Combat Command compares the Reaper less to a Predator than to an F-16 fighter, which is meant to attack ground targets

I wonder who this PR BS is aimed at. The A-10 was designed as a ground attack plane, the F-16 was designed for air-to-air combat. The physical description of this drone is closer to the low and slow of the A-10, and the wings, which determine how well it does in low and slow, match the long and narrow of the A-10, not the short, wide wing of the F-16.

[iopscusa]

This is part of the No War in Space meme from the Russky/China axis....they want to disarm the US until they can takeover the Space War leadership.

[patton]

10 crews, 24/7: 24*7/10 = 30.8 hrs/week in the hot seat, and home to dinner every day.

Now that is the way to deploy to war.

I like it.

[Gritty]

These will cause some major headaches for the bad guys!

[Kevmo]

bmflr

[Lazamataz]

"I remember Hunter-Killers."

[Hot Tabasco]

Once again my mind becomes boggled at our continuing advancement in weaponry

[Billthedrill]

The pilot sits on the left of the “cockpit,” facing a main screen and several smaller screens showing him pictures through the aircraft’s nose camera, its sensor turret, and displays of the status of various systems. He has joysticks that simulate throttle and stick, but there’s a keyboard in front of him. Some of the screens are for instant-messaging type chat with various levels of command and control, such as the air operations center for US Central Command Air Forces. He can also communicate by voice or text with troops on the ground, half a world away.

(Sound of inconsolable sobbing...) I wuz born too late.

Seriously, though - how difficult would it be to train us old, broke-down vets to employ such a device? Not that I'd really want to sit at home with a beer in front of me, PJ's and bunny slippers on, and blow away terrorists...I'd hate it. Just hate it...

[PapaBear3625]

The Reaper is “Predator-B”. There’s been talk about the next stage “Predator C” which will be a faster turbojet version