The U.S. Ariforce Has Officially Retired The Predator Drone

A Predator and Reaper operating out of Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. USAF

The War Zone/The Drive: SAF Officially Retires MQ-1 Predator While MQ-9 Reaper Set To Gain Air-To-Air Missiles

The Reaper is set to gain new capabilities just as its iconic progenitor is pulled from service, but arming drones with air-to-air missiles isn't new.

The Reaper has come for the USAF's long-serving MQ-1 Predator drone fleet, literally. Today, March 9th, 2018, the flying service will officially retire Predator, a platform that ushered in a new era of unmanned air warfare—most notably the ability to rain down precision death as its controllers sat halfway around the globe in dark trailers. The decision to pull the Predator fleet is a previously preempted and controversial one, but its legacy is secured in the form of its super-sized cousin, the MQ-9 Reaper, an aircraft that will become the backbone of USAF drone operations. And with its elevated importance within the USAF's inventory, the Reaper is going to gain new capabilities and an expanded mission set, including the ability to fire air-to-air missiles.

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WNU Editor: It's replacement .... the MQ-9 Reaper .... is definitely an upgarde.