September12, 2008:
Britain expects to have five
Reaper UAVs in action by the end of next year. Each U.S. made MQ-9 Reaper cost
$18 million each (with ground equipment and high end sensors). The 4.7 ton American
built Reaper has a wingspan of 66 feet and a payload of 1.7 tons. Also called
the "Predator B", only about a dozen are currently in service, with
another two being delivered by the end of the year. Reaper is considered a combat aircraft, because it can carry over
a ton of bombs or missiles. This includes the hundred pound Hellfire missile,
and up to four 500 pound laser or GPS guided smart bombs. While over 300 JDAMs
were dropped per day during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, in the last few years,
the average number dropped per day is, at most, 3-4 bombs. More JDAMs are
dropped in Afghanistan, but even there, half a dozen a day, over the entire
country, is a lot. Thus a half a dozen Reapers can easily supply all the ground
support needs for the entire country. In addition, Reapers can carry four
Hellfires in place of one JDAM. Often, a Hellfire is preferred because of the
risk of civilians nearby getting hurt. The UAVs have a major advantage over
manned fighter-bombers, in that they can stay over the target area longer, and
do so with relief crews, so that there are always alert eyes using the powerful
sensors (similar to the targeting pods on fighters) carried by the Reaper.
Britain has
bought three Reapers, lost one and has three more on order. These were acquired
via an "under urgent operational requirement deal" to support British
troops in Afghanistan. Over the next few years, Britain will receive ten
Reapers, in addition to five Ground Control Stations, nine Multi-Spectral
Targeting Systems, nine Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target
Indicator systems, three Satellite Earth
Terminal Sub Stations, 30 Global Positioning System Inertial Navigation
Systems, as well as spare parts, test equipment, various types of technical
support, and communications equipment. There are also multi-year contracts
for technical assistance and
training/equipment and all manner of manufacturer support.
The
operators of British Reapers work out of an American air force base in Nevada,
as part of a joint U.S./British Reaper unit. The British are very pleased with
the performance of their Reapers (despite one being lost because of a
mechanical failure). The joint task force in Nevada enables British operators
and commanders to quickly absorb the U.S. experience with Reaper and Predator.
Like the Americans, the British find that the "persistence" (long
flight time) of Reaper a crucial advantage. This capability has put the Taliban
at an enormous disadvantage, and much improved the security, and offensive
capabilities, for British forces. The
British also find the Reaper a lot more cost effective than other combat
aircraft like the Harrier and AH-64 helicopter gunship.