US MQ-9 Reaper drone flies over Gaza

Experts say the flights are part of an effort to help locate the hostages, 10 of whom are believed to be from the United States.

US MQ 9 Reaper UAV flew over Gaza and what does this mean? Image 1 — MQ-9 Reaper drone. Photo: Reuters

General Atomics' MQ-9 Reaper drone can hover at an altitude of about 50,000 feet for more than 27 hours, gathering intelligence with sophisticated cameras, sensors and radar. It has a wingspan of 65 feet, is powered by a Honeywell engine, can carry 4,000 pounds of fuel and has a top speed of 240 knots (444 km/h).

The Reaper, which entered service with the US Air Force 16 years ago, can be equipped with weapons such as air-to-ground missiles.

The MQ-9 has also been ordered by the US Department of Homeland Security, NASA, the Royal Air Force, the Italian Air Force, the French Air Force and the Spanish Air Force.

Officials said the Gaza flights were unarmed and used onboard sensors to search for hostages. The planes could carry high-powered cameras, including those that can detect heat or operate with little or no visible light.

At least six aircraft were reportedly used, and their flight paths focused on southern Gaza. Amelia Smith, an aviation researcher quoted by the New York Times, said the Reapers typically hovered over the area for about three hours, flying at altitudes of about 25,000 feet.

Officials said it was believed to be the first time US drones had flown over Gaza.

Drones are often cheaper than crewed aircraft with similar capabilities and are safer to operate because they don’t require a pilot. Unlike most other aircraft, drones can hover for hours to gather intelligence.

They cost about $3,500 per flight hour, compared with about $8,000 per flight hour to operate an F-16, according to General Atomics. Four MQ-9s with sensors, a ground control station, and a satellite link cost about $56.5 million, according to the US Air Force.

General Atomics said the MQ-9 has “demonstrated air-to-air weapons capability” in Air Force tests. It can also be equipped with a “Self-Protection Pod” that can detect threats and deploy countermeasures against surface-to-air weapons.

Quoc Thien (according to Reuters)

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