The MQ-9 is a turboprop-powered remotely piloted aircraft family combining long-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance with precision-strike capability.
Development
General Atomics developed the Predator B lineage into the MQ-9A, which first flew in 2001. The U.S. Air Force fielded the Reaper as a remotely piloted, long-endurance system combining persistent sensing with precision strike, reaching initial operating capability in October 2007.
Design and Mission System
The MQ-9A pairs a Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop with modular sensor and weapons payloads. USAF material describes a baseline multispectral targeting system, synthetic aperture radar, and precision-guided weapons, while the manufacturer emphasizes modular mission configuration and long endurance.
Variants
C004 distinguishes the Predator B development identity, a baseline MQ-9A, and an Extended Range configuration. The ER configuration adds additional fuel capacity and landing-gear changes; the archive treats it as an upgrade/configuration rather than an entirely separate family.
Variants
| Designation | Type | Role | Recorded operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| MQ-9 Block 5 | Upgrade | Armed Reconnaissance | United States Air Force |
| MQ-9A Extended Range | Upgrade | Armed Reconnaissance | United States Air Force |
| MQ-9A baseline | Production | Armed Reconnaissance | United States Air Force |
| MQ-9B SeaGuardian ASW configuration | Special Mission | Maritime Combat | United States Navy |
| MQ-9B SkyGuardian development aircraft | Prototype | Armed Reconnaissance | Royal Air Force |
| MQ-9B SkyGuardian production standard | Production | Armed Reconnaissance | Royal Air Force |
| Predator B prototype / development aircraft (including B-001) | Prototype | Armed Reconnaissance | — |
| Protector RG Mk1 | Production | Armed Reconnaissance | Royal Air Force |
Representative specifications
Configuration-specific profiles are shown separately so values from different variants are not blended into one false “standard” aircraft.
MQ-9A baseline — current USAF fact-sheet profile
- Crew
- 0 onboard / 2 remote
- Length
- 11 m
- Wingspan
- 20.1 m
- Height
- 3.8 m
- Range
- 1,850.75 km
- Service ceiling
- 15,240 m (up to 50,000 ft)
Powerplant: 1 × Honeywell TPE331-10GD · 671.13 kW (maximum shaft horsepower)
Armament: USAF lists combinations including AGM-114 Hellfire, GBU-12, GBU-38, GBU-49 and GBU-54.
Sensors / avionics: Baseline Multi-Spectral Targeting System with infrared/daylight/shortwave infrared imagery, laser designator/illuminator, plus synthetic aperture radar.
MQ-9A Extended Range — USAF ER profile
- Crew
- 0 onboard / 2 remote
- Length
- 11 m
- Wingspan
- 20.1 m
- Height
- 3.8 m
- Range
- 2,592.65 km (ER range listed by USAF as 1,611 miles / 1,400 nautical miles)
- Service ceiling
- 15,240 m
Powerplant: 1 × Honeywell TPE331-10GD · 671.13 kW
Armament: Mission-dependent precision-guided weapons; see baseline MQ-9A profile.
Sensors / avionics: Mission-kit dependent.
Predator B-001 — retained C018 baseline technical profile
- Crew
- 0
Powerplant: 1 × Honeywell TPE331-10-family turboprop
Armament: Operational MQ-9 configurations carry AGM-114 Hellfire and a range of guided bombs and missiles on external stations.
Sources and further reading
Structured references supporting this aircraft family, variants, specifications, and narrative sections.
- MQ-9 Reaper — United States Air Force · Tier 1
- MQ-9A Reaper (Predator B) — General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. · Tier 1
- Predator B Achieves One Million Flight Hours — General Atomics · Tier 2
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2007-08 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2015-16 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2016-17 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2023-24 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2024-25 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2025-26 — Jane's Information Group · Tier 3