This isn’t the first time Reapers have been deployed in the region. Defense News, a sister publication, reported in 2018 that the Air Force had built a hangar at 71st Air Base that could accommodate the drones. There have been signs that MQ-9 Reapers would be based out of Romania for several years. Selena Rodts told Air Force Times in January that lengths of time for deployments were not being disclosed due to operational security concerns. The self-protection pod was successfully tested in October 2020 and is one of many new capabilities for the MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft tested last year.
It’s unclear if the deployment, which was coordinated alongside the Romanian government, will remain permanent.
The MQ-9s primary mission is as a persistent hunter-killer. The support from our partners in Europe has been outstanding, and we are proud of achieving operational capability ahead of schedule.” MQ-9 Reaper Making the Case for a Re-imagined MQ-9 Reaper General Atomics is Supporting the MQ-9 Aircraft and Ground Control for the Navy General Atomics is. The MQ-9 Reaper is a medium-to-high altitude, long endurance remotely piloted aircraft system. “We intend to move to evolve our weapon system to survive and provide critical capabilities in contested environments. Stephen Jones, 432nd Wing and 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing commander, in the news release. “Standing up active-duty Reaper combat lines in the European theater is a significant milestone for the RPA community,” said Col. Likewise, the Air Force said the drones would support Agile Combat Employment concepts and may be involved in exercises to facilitate interoperability with allies.