USMC conducts first operational flight of MQ-9A Reaper UAS in the Middle East

April 17, 2020 | AUVSI News

U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) pilots and sensor operators from Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 (VMU-1) conducted their first operational flight of GA-ASI’s MQ-9A Reaper UAS in the Middle East on March 20.  

The VMU-1 “Watchdog” crews took control of a Company Owned/Company Operated (COCO) MQ-9A supporting forward deployed Marines, while the GA-ASI team provided oversight.

This achievement by the USMC comes shortly after 7,000 hours of COCO flight operations since Sept. 2018 was surpassed.

“This achievement represents a unique milestone and example of the Marine Corps’ legacy of innovation,” says David R. Alexander, president, GA-ASI.

“As a partner with the Marine Corps, we look forward to expanding the role of Medium-altitude, Long-endurance (MALE) UAS in support of maritime littoral missions.”

To fulfill its urgent needs request for persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) in Afghanistan, VMU-1 leases MQ-9A Reaper aircraft. As the USMC transitions its COCO MQ-9A contract to a Government Owned/Government Operated (GOGO) contract in the coming year, GA-ASI has been working with VMU-1.

According to GA-ASI, the GOGO capability fulfills the Commandant’s directive for USMC Group 5 persistent ISR capability with strike. VMU-1 will serve as the test bed and incubator to provide crucial information, lessons learned, requirements, tactics, techniques, and procedures that will help in the USMC efforts for the successful acquisition and fielding of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) UAS Expeditionary (MUX) Group 5 capability.