Guide to U.S. military drones

The MQ-9 Reaper drone brought down by so-called Russian “coercive signalling” – limited military action, short of direct aggression – is one of the formidable range of U.S. crewless aircraft


General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper 

Armament: Up to 16 Hellfire missiles or four missiles and two laser-guided bombs

Unit cost: $30 million

Max altitude: 15,240m 
Range: 1,850km 
Endurance: 32 hours 
Remote crew: Two, pilot and sensor operator

Targeting system


General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle

Armament: Up to four Hellfire missiles 

Unit cost: $10 million

Max altitude: 7,620m 
Range: 4,600km
Endurance: 27 hours
Remote crew: Two

Hellfire AGM-114 air-to-ground missiles with range of 11km


General Atomics MQ-1 Predator

Armament: Two Hellfire missiles

Targeting System: Infrared sensor, daylight and image-intensified TV, laser designator and laser illuminator

Unit cost: $5 million

Max altitude: 7,620m
Range: 1,240km
Endurance: 24 hours
Remote crew: Two


Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk
Unarmed surveillance aircraft

Unit cost: $90 million

Max altitude: 18,000m
Range: 22,780km
Endurance: 34+ hours
Remote crew: Three


Sources: General Atomics, Northrop Grumman, RAND Corporation
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