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However, the Reaper Force adapted and maximised the training opportunities that flying in a high-tempo operational environment presented, helping crews to rapidly achieve Combat Ready status. Emergency procedures could only be discussed rather than practised, and training weapon events had to be carefully controlled due to always carrying live weapons. With no ability to train on a dedicated training aircraft or simulator, everything had to be conducted on live operations, which meant training objectives were frequently compromised to service the task they were supporting with the instructor often having to ‘jump’ back into the seat. These factors forced unique challenges on the RAF, certainly for the UK based XIII squadron, which had formed in 2012. Critically, the aircraft was not certified, meaning it could only be flown in operational, deconflicted airspace. This also meant that temporary operational facilities were needed, with all training conducted in the US. UK Reaper was purchased as a UOR (Urgent Operational Requirement) an accelerated procurement process which meant that the RAF procured the platform effectively ‘off-the-shelf’. This was to mitigate the time delay when operating via the satellite communication (SATCOM) links, which would have made operating close to the ground challenging. The MQ-9A could not operate in cloud or icing conditions and required a forward deployed flight crew to operate within Visual Line Of Sight (VLOS) to take-off and recover the aircraft. As impressive a capability as it was though, it had limitations. Based on the Predator’s success, the US Government fast-tracked its replacement, which led to the development and fielding of the MQ-9A Reaper (or Predator B) in 2007 a larger, more capable, more heavily armed platform, with greater endurance and connectivity than the Predator, and which provided an almost constant air presence for friendly forces throughout the campaign. Now they were demonstrating that they could be a true ‘Combat ISR’ platform. No longer were they expensive toys with limited capability. It needed something with persistence and an accurate, low-collateral strike option, but more importantly the ability to gather and rapidly disseminate intelligence on the ever-changing ground picture directly to the ground commander.Įnter the General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Incorporated (GA-ASI) MQ-1 Predator, which revolutionised the way that Uncrewed Air Vehicles (UAVs) were employed. This type of campaign became known as a COIN or COunter INsurgency and necessitated a step change in tactics and capability. This was a very different environment to the previous campaigns of the 90’s in Iraq and Kosovo, with a very ‘low-tech’ surface to air threat and air supremacy all but guaranteed, particularly above 10,000 ft ground level, which is typically assessed as the effective top height for Anti-Aircraft Artillery and Heavy Machine Guns. The tragic events of September 11 th, 2001 saw the United States and its allies embark on a huge campaign in Afghanistan to destroy the Taliban.