Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims it shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over Qeshm Island in southern Iran using an advanced air defence system recently.
About MQ-9 Reaper:
The MQ-9 Reaper (Reaper MQ-9A) is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
It is developed by the American company General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (a United States-based aerospace and defence company), primarily for the United States Air Force (USAF).
It is an upgraded version of the MQ-1 Predator and was first deployed in Afghanistan in October 2007.
It is used for strategic and operational reconnaissance, battlefield surveillance, and can directly engage targets.
Features:
It has a wingspan of 66 feet (20 meters) and endurance of more than 27 hours.
It is equipped with a fault-tolerant flight control system and triple redundant avionics system architecture
It is powered by a turboprop engine, integrated with Digital Electronic Engine Control (DEEC), which significantly improves engine performance and fuel efficiency, particularly at low altitudes.
It cruises at roughly 322 to 370 kilometers per hour and can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters), giving it reach across wide areas of operation.
It can be armed with air-to-ground Hellfire missiles as well as laser-guided bombs.
It is remotely operated by a two-person team consisting of a pilot and an aircrew member who operates sensors and guides weapons.
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