General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has delivered an MQ-9A Reaper® Block 5 Extended Range (ER) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC).
The aircraft was officially handed over on April 22, 2025, and is now assigned to Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1), located at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona.
VMX-1 will use the MQ-9A ER to conduct operational testing and evaluation (OT&E), supporting the development of new tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for Marine Aviation. These efforts are part of the broader strategy to incorporate the MQ-9A into the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) as a core ISR and multi-mission asset.
Built for endurance and versatility, the MQ-9A ER features key enhancements such as field-retrofittable wing-mounted fuel pods and reinforced landing gear. These upgrades extend the platform’s endurance to over 30 hours, significantly improving its operational reach and time-on-station capabilities. The system is equipped with advanced ISR sensors including Full-Motion Video, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Moving Target Indicator (MTI), and Maritime Radar modes, making it ideally suited for persistent surveillance missions.
Reliability is a cornerstone of the MQ-9A ER design. The UAS incorporates a fault-tolerant flight control system and a triple-redundant avionics architecture, meeting or exceeding the reliability benchmarks typically required of manned aircraft.
David R. Alexander, GA-ASI President, said, “The Marine Corps is building out its ISR capabilities with this new aircraft. We are excited to see what VMX-1 does in terms of operational test in preparation for pushing new capabilities into the field.”
To date, GA-ASI has delivered 18 MQ-9A Reaper UAS units to the Marine Corps, with two more scheduled for delivery by the end of 2025. The continued fielding of these advanced platforms is central to the USMC’s modernization efforts, enabling expanded situational awareness, increased mission flexibility, and improved decision-making across operational environments.
