Unmanned Reaper aircraft to be deployed in Afghanistan

[3rd Herd]

Make your own assumptions:
The Usual Disclaimer:
Unmanned Reaper aircraft to be deployed in Afghanistan
New York, July 31 (PTI): Faced with increasing insurgent activity, the US Air Force plans to deliver its newest and deadliest unmanned aircraft, the Reaper, to the theatre of operations in Afghanistan.

"The Reaper is an attack aircraft loaded to the hilt with weapons," Gen. T. Michael Moseley, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told ABC News.

Four MQ-9 Reapers, defined by the Air Force as "hunter-killers," are expected to arrive within several months, the television channel said quoting Gen. Moseley.

While previous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have largely served surveillance and reconnaissance functions, the Reaper is geared more toward weapon and attack purposes.

Named for its lethal nature, the Reaper can carry as many as 14 air-to-ground Hellfire missiles, while its precursor, the Predator, only has the capacity for two.

If necessary, the new aircraft can substitute 10 Hellfires with two 500-pound bombs. The Reaper can also remain airborne up to 14 hours fully loaded, with a maximum speed of 300 mph versus the Predator's 135, ABC said.

"It flies higher and carries more than our older systems, giving our skilled and experienced operators additional capability to find, fix, track and engage a target," said Gen. Moseley about the Reaper's capabilities.

"Not only do we give theatre military commanders the capacity to survey the battle space and keep a vigilant eye on targets and insurgent activities," said Gen. Moseley, "we are also capable of striking those targets."

The Pentagon budgeted USD 349 million for Reaper-and Predator-related spending for the fiscal year 2007, ABC said quoting the Air Force budget report.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200707310340.htm

edit to add:
US targets al-Qa'eda with 'grim Reaper'
By Tim Shipman in Washington
Last Updated: 2:12am BST 18/07/2007
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/17/wirq117.xml

 

[MarkOttawa]

A post at The Torch (Americans, British, Germans and Canadians):

Armed UAVs
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2007/11/armed-uavs.html

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Bandit1]

It was only a matter of time before this decision would be made, and if you look at it from a cost analysis perspective flying UAV's is cheaper than the B-1's, F-16's and other assorted a/c which perform the similar role.

All that being said, I don't think they'd provide a convincing show of force at all... ;D

Bandit

 

[geo]

Is there a record of some sort WRT blue on blue incidents with UAVs?
All of the blue on blue incidents I am aware of are of the piloted kind..... anyone?

 

[Bandit1]

The ones that I'm familiar with involved an F-16 and an A-10 - nothing on the UAV side, at least not in the sandbox.

Bandit

 

[George Wallace]

Is there a record of some sort WRT blue on blue incidents with UAVs?
All of the blue on blue incidents I am aware of are of the piloted kind..... anyone?

I would think that the Blue on Blue will be pretty much the same percentile range, if not more.  Although these are UAVs, they are still piloted by operators who are far removed from the scene, and whose AFV and other recognition skills may be completely different than that of Air Force Pilots.  It still comes back to rest on the recognitions skills of a human operator.