More Reapers Take to Afghanistan's Skies

The RAF’s newest Reaper remotely piloted aircraft have begun operations in Afghanistan. 

Pictures released today show additional Reaper aircraft flying from Kandahar Airfield to gather vital intelligence in support of Afghan, UK and ISAF coalition forces on the ground. 

The deployment of five new Reapers means there are now twice as many in Afghanistan operating alongside the Army’s Hermes 450. These aircraft provide real-time, life-saving video to ground commanders, which will continue to be vital to allied efforts to secure internal security in Afghanistan as we draw down allied forces from the country this year.

Reaper can monitor areas of interest for a considerable period of time. This affords the crew time to conduct a detailed assessment of any target, or increase in insurgent activity, the environment in which they are operating and the ability to time any attack to minimise the risk of civilian casualties or unnecessary damage to property. 

Although their primary role is gathering intelligence and providing surveillance and reconnaissance support to ground forces, Reaper can also be armed and carry laser-guided bombs and Hellfire missiles when the situation demands it. In over 54,000 hours of operations using Reaper in Afghanistan, only 459 weapons have been fired, which is less than one weapon for every 120 hours flying. Non-armed reconnaissance Unmanned Air Systems have flown almost three times as many operations, flying over 160,000 hours.