This acquisition of GA-ASI MQ-9A Reapers, including the corresponding Ground Control Stations, is part of a USAF Foreign Military Sale contract between the US and the Netherlands.
GA-ASI has announced that The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) has announced its decision to expand its procurement of MQ-9A Remotely Piloted Aircraft, increasing the initial order of four to a total of eight aircraft. The first batch of MQ-9A Block 5 Reapers, along with their associated Ground Control Stations, was successfully delivered to the RNLAF in 2022. The MQ-9A platform is developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). This acquisition of MQ-9A Reapers, including the corresponding Ground Control Stations and support equipment, is part of a USAF Foreign Military Sale agreement between the United States and the Netherlands.
“We’re thrilled that the first set of Dutch Reapers have made such a positive impact on the RNLAF,” said David R. Alexander, President, GA-ASI. “With this new set of capabilities, the Netherlands will have the most capable set of MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft in the world. They have customized the Dutch MQ-9As to meet the Netherlands’ expanding mission set,” he further added.
The MQ-9A Block 5 platform offers impressive capabilities, including an endurance of up to 27 hours, speeds of up to 240 knots true airspeed (KTAS), and the ability to operate at altitudes of up to 40,000 feet. With a payload capacity of 3,850 pounds (1,746 kilograms), the MQ-9A can carry up to 3,000 pounds (1,361 kilograms) of external stores. It provides persistent surveillance with Full-Motion Video, Synthetic Aperture Radar, Moving Target Indicator, and Maritime Radar capabilities. The MQ-9A Block 5 is built for reliability, featuring a fault-tolerant flight control system and a triple redundant avionics system architecture, surpassing standards set for manned aircraft.
“We are doubling the number of MQ-9A Reapers so we can increase our maritime and overland intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance (ISR) capacity,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Ruedisueli, commander of the RNLAF’s 306 squadron that operate the new MQ-9A Reapers, Netherlands. “The MQ-9As will receive external pods for Electronic Intelligence, a communications relay, a Maritime Radar, and also be armed in the future,” he further added.
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The decision to double the MQ-9A fleet underscores the RNLAF’s commitment to enhancing its operational capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, aligning with its evolving mission requirements.
