MQ-9 maritime surveillance drones sent to Poland by General Atomics
NewsNovember 01, 2022
SAN DIEGO, California. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has sent MQ-9A Reaper uncrewed aerial systems (UASs) to Poland for maritime surveillance missions, the company announced in a statement.
The Polish Ministry of Defence will lease the drones for $70.6 million to support NATO efforts as they "confront the ongoing war in the region," the statement reads.
The MQ-9A Reaper is also used by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. The MQ-9B maritime surveillance configuration, also known as SeaGuardian, began operations recently in support of the Japan Coast Guard, the company added.
The company claims that the Reaper can stay airborne for 27 hours, reach speeds of 240 knots, and operate at up to 50,000 feet. The drone can carry up to 3,000 pounds of external stores and is commonly used for long-endurance, persistent maritime surveillance.
