Reaper deploys live weapons on maritime training target

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Thomas Spangler
  • 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  An MQ-9 Reaper successfully hit a sea-going target with an AGM-114 Hellfire missile during a joint service training exercise over the Eglin water range here, March 17.
This was the first time a remotely piloted aircraft hit a maritime target.

"It was the first time we put live weapons into boats and participated in maritime (exercises)," said Capt. Timothy Ford, a 26th Weapons Squadron flight commander. "For our (RPA) community it's a big step forward, it's a mission set we had looked at for a long time and training opportunities over water are not very prevalent (at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.)."

The MQ-9 was just one of the many aircraft that flew against the armada of waterborne targets during the maritime strike exercise.  To pull off the exercise, the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron-managed operation becomes an entire Team Eglin mission to coordinate and accomplish.  The 96th Test Wing's operations, range, civil engineering and maintenance groups' personnel and contracted partners provided a wide variety of distinctive support from range time to the actual maritime targets.

Maritime combat capabilities of various aircraft were examined during the recent week-long mission about 15 nautical miles South of Destin's coastline. Results from aircraft test missions will help the Air Force and its sister services develop joint platform-specific weapons loadouts, tactics, techniques and procedures.

"Months after all the testing is complete, we will to through the data and brief the Air Force's leadership on the results," said Lt. Col. Logan, 86th FWS commander.  "Our goal is to make sure that our weapons are working as well as they possibly can."

In addition to this being the first time an RPA squadron hit a maritime target; it was also a chance to integrate with other aircraft including A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-35A Lightning IIs.

"It's the first opportunity for us to fly with the F-35, talk to each other and coordinate attacks between the two platforms and ensure deconfliction while we're doing that," said Capt. Ryan Cross, a 26th WPS training officer.

Another high note of the exercise was that it gave the RPA community a chance to demonstrate to operators of other aircraft, the unique capabilities the MQ-9 can bring to the fight.

Through this exercise, the MQ-9 demonstrated its abilities in destroying sea-going targets, integrating and deconflicting with other aircraft, as well as being able to stay in an area far longer than any other platform.