Poland Signs Lease Agreement for MQ-9A Reapers

Poland will take delivery of MQ-9A Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft as part of a new $70.6 million lease agreement signed with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI).

MQ-9A Reapers are operated by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. GA-ASI’s newer MQ-9B variant has been acquired by the UK and Belgium. The MQ-9B maritime surveillance configuration (SeaGuardian) recently began operations in support of the Japan Coast Guard.

MQ-9A Reaper has endurance of over 27 hours, speeds of 240 KTAS and can operate up to 50,000 feet. It has a 3,850-pound (1,746-kilogram) payload capacity that includes 3,000 pounds (1,361 kilograms) of external stores. It provides a long-endurance, persistent surveillance capability with Full-Motion Video and Synthetic Aperture Radar/Moving Target Indicator/Maritime Radar.

MQ-9A Block 5 is equipped with a fault-tolerant flight control system and triple redundant avionics system architecture.