CAMPIA TURZII, Romania – Aerial warfare has undergone a significant transformation in recent decades, shifting towards unmanned platforms.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as indispensable assets, offering unprecedented capabilities in surveillance, reconnaissance, and precision strike missions. Among these, the MQ-9 Reaper stands out as a cornerstone of the U.S Air Force’s arsenal, playing a pivotal role in contemporary conflicts and security operations around the globe.

“The MQ-9 has one of the longest flight times of all the aircraft in the Air Force’s inventory,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Georgiy Mosiolik, 731st Expeditionary Squadron director of operations.

In terms of deterrence-related mission objectives, the MQ-9 takes lead with its capacity for prolonged intelligence, observation and data collection.

“With the aircraft’s link system, we have a local crew that is on-station to provide support for the launch and recovery aspects of the MQ-9,” said Mosiolik. “Whereas the operating mission control elements have the ability to maintain a further physical distance while operating from their respective cockpits.”

Unlike manned aircraft, the Reaper can be rapidly reconfigured with different payloads to suit various mission requirements. Whether conducting surveillance, close air support, or armed reconnaissance, the Reaper provides the flexibility needed to respond dynamically to changing operational needs.

“Our presence is always there,” said Mosiolik. “If one MQ-9 is coming back, we’re going to send one right back up to take its place to be able to continue the watch.”