The U.S. Air Force’s MQ-9 Reaper detachment demonstrated the capabilities of the remotely piloted aircraft during the Rim of the Pacific 2022 exercise that concluded Aug. 4 in Hawaii.
“The MQ-9 Reaper community made its debut at RIMPAC 2022 and led the exercise with 32 sorties in 22 days spanning 316 airborne hours supporting a wide range of mission sets,” Air National Guard Capt. Philip West, RIMPAC MQ-9 Maritime Force integration lead, said in a statement published Saturday.
“We became the most requested asset by partner nations, receiving as many as three times the requests as any other,” added West.
The General Atomics-built Reapers supported 63 missions during the exercise, including 25 maritime missions, six intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and seven operations to recover personnel. The airmen also used MQ-9s to launch Hellfire missiles.
The maritime warfare exercise also introduced the unmanned aerial vehicle to a sinking exercise, surface and war-at-sea operations, amphibious assault scenario and other maritime events.
