General Atomics awarded $123 million Netherlands MQ-9 Reaper drone contract.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, Calif., has been awarded a not-to-exceed $123,293,911 undefinitized contract action for MQ-9 Block 5 procurement.

USAF MQ-9 Reaper (Picture source: General Atomics)

This contract provides for four MQ-9 unmanned air vehicles, four Mobile Ground Control Stations, spares, and support equipment. Work will be performed predominately in Poway, California, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2020.

This contract involves 100 percent foreign military sales to the Netherlands. Foreign military sales funds in amount of $38,928,607 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Designated MQ-9 Reaper by its U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force customers, the turboprop-powered, multi-mission Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) was developed with GA-ASI funding and provides significantly greater capabilities than Predator.

Featuring unmatched operational flexibility, Predator B has an endurance of over 27 hours, speeds of 240 KTAS, can operate up to 50,000 feet, and has a 3,850 pound (1746 kilogram) payload capacity that includes 3,000 pounds (1361 kilograms) of external stores. Twice as fast as Predator, the aircraft carries 500% more payload and has nine times the horsepower. It provides a long-endurance, persistent surveillance/strike capability for the war fighter.