General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $43,650,760 undefinitized contract action for France contractor logistics support MQ-9 Block 5 and Block 1 aircraft.

MQ-9 Reaper (Picture source: Armée de l'Air )

his contract provides logistics support activities including depot repair, life cycle sustainment and software maintenance services for the French Air Force MQ-9 Block 5 and Block 1 aircraft. Work will be performed in Poway, California, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2020. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales to France. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $21,388,872 are being obligated at the time of award.

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper also called Predator B is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the United States Air Force (USAF). The MQ-9 and other UAVs are referred to as Remotely Piloted Vehicles/Aircraft (RPV/RPA) by the USAF to indicate their human ground controllers.

The MQ-9 baseline system carries the Multi-Spectral Targeting System, which has a robust suite of visual sensors for targeting. The MTS-B integrates an infrared sensor, color/monochrome daylight TV camera, image-intensified TV camera, laser range finder /designator, and laser illuminator. The full-motion video from each of the imaging sensors can be viewed as separate video streams or fused.

The MQ-9 Reaper also incorporates a laser range finder/designator, which precisely designates targets for employment of laser-guided munitions, such as the Guided Bomb Unit-12 Paveway II. The Reaper is also equipped with synthetic aperture radar to enable future GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions targeting. The MQ-9 can be also armed with four laser-guided, Air-to-Ground Missiles (AGM)-114 Hellfire missiles, which provide highly accurate, low-collateral damage, anti-armor and anti-personnel engagement capabilities.