Royal Netherlands Air Force gets unmanned MQ-9 Reaper in February.

The Royal Netherlands Air Force will receive the MQ-9 Reaper in February 2022 . Then the construction of the system in the Caribbean will start. It concerns 4 ground stations and 4 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft can collect data and information from the air.

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Thanks to satellite control, the device can be operated worldwide (Picture source: Dutch MoD)

Dutch Defense is testing the unarmed system in Curaçao for the time being. This is due to the favorable weather conditions and the availability of airspace. The Reaper can also already be deployed for Defense tasks in the Caribbean. For example, in support of civil authorities or for investigation and supervision. Part of this involves cooperation with the United States, such as in counter-drug operations.

The aircraft and 2 ground stations are stationed at Hato airport. The 2 other ground stations are located at Leeuwarden Air Base. The images from the Caribbean are also analyzed here. The MQ-9 will eventually also have Leeuwarden as its home base.

The Reaper contains sensors that can observe long-term and collect information both on land and above sea, without a pilot on board. Thanks to satellite control, the device can be operated worldwide. The system is fully in line with Defense's wish to operate on the basis of information-driven military action.

General Atomics completed production of the first Reaper for the RNLAF in July 2021 and acceptance tests were conducted later that year (Picture source: Dutch MoD )