The US Air Force conducted the first flight of the MQ-9A Reaper last month, which is equipped with eight AGM-114 Hellfire missilesUAVTwice the normal carrying quantity.

The US Air Force announced on Wednesday that the 556 Test and Evaluation Squadron located at Krich Air Force Base in Nevada conducted the flight test on September 10th.

The US Air Force has stated that it expects to upgrade toMQ-9This makes it possible to expand the ability of Hellfire. In the past, the 'Reaper' could only carry a maximum of four Hellfire rounds, with two rounds on each outer wing. But with the upgrade, gas stations that were originally used to hold fuel tanks or 500 pound bombs can now be used to launch Hellfire.

Major Melvin French, the testing system configuration manager of the project, stated in the released report that the hardware and launchers that can now be used to carry Hellfire are the same as the initial launch station used.

Except for additional hardware that needs to be on hand, there are no other changes needed to support this new capability and increased lethality, "said Frenchie." The Reaper "retains its flexibility and can launch a 500 pound bomb from any of its stations when required by the mission, instead of AGM-114

The announcement states that increasing the flexibility to carry more Hellfire will enable the Reaper to meet the needs of both the Air Combat Command and the Air Force Special Operations Command.

air forceIn the past, the "Reapers" ran out of firepower during long missions, which sometimes led to waiting for new armed support units to arrive before they could strike their targets.

air forceThe 'Reaper' needs to be able to detect and immediately strike high priority targets - some of which are only vulnerable for a short period of time - and defend against isolated friendly forces on the ground. Providing more firepower to the 'Reaper' will enable it to continue engaging with enemies during prolonged missions, which typically last for several hours.

Commander Michael Chimilevsky of 556 said, "History has proven that the MQ-9 has the ability to provide air continuity and attack support to air and ground forces during counter insurgency and close air support. Doubling the firepower of this highly durable aircraft with Hellfire enhances the lethality and agility of the MQ-9, providing a highly versatile, precise, and friendly arsenal for all combat commanders