MQ-9 Reaper strikes maritime target during exercise
An MQ-9 Reaper UAS has successfully hit a maritime target with an AGM-114 Hellfire missile during a recent US joint service training exercise, the US Air Force (USAF) has announced.
During the exercise, the MQ-9 demonstrated its ability to strike maritime targets, while also integrating and deconflicting with other aircraft.
Capt Timothy Ford, Commander, 26th Weapons Squadron, USAF, said: 'It was the first time we had put live weapons into boats and participated in maritime [exercises].
'For our [UAS] community it's a big step forward, it's a mission set we had looked at for a long time and training opportunities over water are not very prevalent.'
Capt Ryan Cross, Training Officer, 26th Weapons Squadron, USAF, said: 'It's the first opportunity for us to fly with the F-35, talk to each other and coordinate attacks between the two platforms and ensure deconfliction while we're doing that.'
Ford added: 'As soon as it does become a situation where the shooting happens, we're the ones with the situational awareness because we've been there so long and we're able to pass that on to other fighters as they check in and build their situational awareness.
'That's our role in a lot of mission sets. It's nice to be able to prove it in a maritime environment.'
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