Anyway, onto drones! Drones are the one of the most intriguing developments of recent military technology. Although there are a large amount of different ones, the most well known and relevant are the General Atomics models Predator and Reaper. For those of you who have a tendency to play Call of Duty, you may recognise both of these as unlockable killstreaks (pointstreaks, nowadays?).
Originally used primarily for recon and intelligence gathering, the Predator drone saw its first use as far back as 1995. It has been primarily used by the CIA and the United States Air Force. In 2001, tests were conducted to give the Predator more offensive firepower, and thus, it was equipped with Hellfire missiles. The use of these missiles allows for effective single target elimination. This is due to the Predator Drone's low engine sound, and the fact that Hellfire missiles are not only incredibly accurate, but supersonic (meaning that the target will be hit before the sound of the missile being fired is heard). These missiles are produced by Lockheed Martin, a prominent combat airplane manufacturer, and cost 68 thousand dollars a piece.
The Reaper drone is the upgraded version of the Predator. It fulfills less of an intelligence role, and is instead an actual combat drone. The Reaper has a payload of up to 3,800 lbs, and a more varied selection of weapons, including laser guided bombs. The Reaper saw its first action in 2007. NASA has Reaper drones under its service, as well, though they have been modified (no weapons, larger wingspan). They have also taken the name of "Altair." Just last year, testings were done and the first Reaper upgrade, MQ-9 Block 1-Plus Reaper was developed, and later renamed.
A Hellfire Missile, on a Predator
Thanks for posting the pictures!
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