GA lands a $56 mn contract for Spain MQ-9 Reaper Procurement program

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World Defense & Security News - Spain
 
 
GA lands a $56 mn contract for Spain MQ-9 Reaper Procurement program
 
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has been awarded a $56,656,833 contract for the Spain MQ-9 Exportable Block 5 RPAS Procurement program, the US Department of Defense stated on its website on Jan. 4, 2017.
     
GA lands a 56 mn contract for Spain MQ 9 Reaper Procurement program 640 001An MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flightline at USAF's Creech Air Force Base, Nev.
(Credit: USAF/Lance Cheung)
     
"Contractor will provide MQ-9 aircraft and its associated equipment. Work will be performed at Poway, California, and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2019. This contract is 100 percent foreign military sales to Spain," the US DoD announced.

Spain announced its intention to purchase four MQ-9 Block 5 UAVs in Oct. 2015, for an cost of $243 million.

In Feb. 2016, GA-ASI announced the four Block 5 Reaper UAVs will be equipped with MTS-B Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensors and GA-ASI's Block 20A Lynx Multi-mode Radar.


GA-ASI's multi-mission Predator B is a long-endurance, medium-high-altitude RPA that features an extensive payload capacity (850 lb/386 kg internally, 3,750 lb/1,700 kg externally), with a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet/15240 meters, and can stay aloft for up to 27 hours.

Predator B is currently operational with the U.S. Air Force, Royal Air Force, French Air Force and the Italian Air Force.