GA-ASI delivers MQ-9 Reaper to customer via flight for the first time

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) on 8 January delivered via flight, or ferried, a new MQ-9 Reaper medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to a customer location for the first time.

An MQ-9 Reaper flies a training mission over Creech Air Force Base in Nevada on 25 March. GA-ASI ferried, or delivered via flight, an MQ-9 Reaper to a customer for the first time in January (US Air Force)

A new MQ-9 is typically packed and shipped by GA-ASI for reassembly after delivery. Ferrying the MQ-9 to the US Air Force (USAF) customer at Holloman Air Force Base (AFB) in New Mexico saved shipping costs and reduced the time required for airmen to reassemble the aircraft. This also made it available for training immediately upon arrival, according to a company statement on 9 April.

According to GA-ASI, the USAF estimated that ferrying the MQ-9 saved 142 man-hours of assembly. The USAF had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.

A key aspect of the 900 n mile delivery was flying the MQ-9 through the National Airspace System (NAS) after take-off from GA-ASI’s Gray Butte flight operations facility near Palmdale, California. GA-ASI and Holloman AFB aircrews worked together to ensure the successful ferry flight.

A GA-ASI spokesman said on 9 April that the company aircrew at the Gray Butte facility launched the MQ-9 and flew the aircraft into designated deconflicted, segregated airspace. Control of the aircraft was then transferred to the Holloman AFB aircrew for the rest of the flight and approach and landing into the base. GA-ASI used a chase aircraft for the first portion of the flight out of Gray Butte up to 18,000 ft.