DVIDS – News – MQ-9 Reaper Aircraft Play Integral Role in Indo-Pacific Exercise

Train Valiant Defend 2022 included MQ-9 plane in train operations for the primary time Could 25 by June 20 at Andersen Air Pressure Base, Guam. The 119th Wing, North Dakota Air Nationwide Guard and the 174th Assault Wing, New York Air Nationwide Guard, launched, flew and recovered MQ-9 Reaper plane to offer mission vital consciousness throughout the train.

Valiant Defend 2022 was a 12-day joint area coaching train (FTX) aimed to reinforce integration between the U.S. Navy forces by conducting joint operations at sea, on land, in air, and in our on-line world.

It supplied a chance for the MQ-9 enterprise members to associate collectively and make a distinction whereas offering dynamic power employment, and maritime area consciousness in a brand new location.

Members of the 119th Wing and 174th Assault Wing partnered collectively to exhibit the capabilities of the MQ-9 Reaper in an abroad location.

Pilots and sensor operators from a number of items additionally participated by flying the MQ-9 plane from floor management stations from bases positioned inside the continental United States.

“It’s the primary time we’ve got had the MQ-9 take part in dynamic power employment within the coronary heart of Indo-Pacific Command which makes this a major train,” mentioned a sensor operator of the 119th Wing taking part within the train.

The MQ-9 is important to offering consciousness that different plane can not. With its intensive loiter time and sensor capabilities, the MQ-9 is a extremely succesful plane that provides perception that others usually are not capable of.

“One instance of the MQ-9 offering maritime area consciousness for Train Valiant Defend was a simulated kill chain train the place the MQ-9 was capable of establish, goal, and observe the asset through the use of full-motion video (FMV) and disseminating intelligence of a tier 1 goal. With out the MQ-9 being on this kill-chain train, it will not have gone effectively and it will have been unsuccessful with out our capabilities,” mentioned 119th Wing MQ-9 Pilot 1 taking part within the train.

Pilot 1 mentioned, “it’s important for us to speak what capabilities we will present by the usage of the MQ-9 Reaper to different entities who usually are not accustomed to them. Train Valiant Defend allowed us to associate with new teams and clarify how our expertise supplies a major impression on this theater.”

“One of many key takeaways has been studying what it really means to workforce construct,” mentioned 119th Wing MQ-9 Pilot 2 taking part within the train. “It has been unbelievable to see how the workforce has come collectively and succeeded in some very difficult duties,” he added.

Train Valiant Defend has been successful in bringing items collectively to point out the capabilities that the MQ-9 Reaper supplies with maritime area consciousness, FMV, Maritime Extensive-area Search (MWAS), in addition to offering a chance to check new capabilities to make sure the viability of the MQ-9 in help of the not too long ago launched Nationwide Protection Technique.