MQ-9 UAV Now with New Sensor Pod

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MQ-9 Sensor Pod will be supplied to France within the framework of a  $39.5 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract with BAE Systems.

The contract provides for the production of sensor pods, which will be utilized on the French Air Force MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft and Block 30 Mobile Ground Control Stations.

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) was developed primarily for the US Air Force and is capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. It is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance. Predator B has an endurance of over 27 hours, a speed of 240 knots true airspeed, can operate at an altitude of up to 50,000 feet, and has a 3,850 pound (1,746 kg) payload capacity that includes 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg) of external stores.

Work is expected to be complete by April 30, 2023, as reported by defenseworld.net.