After NATO shot down russian long-range drones that entered Polish airspace for the first time, the Alliance's fight against this threat gained new importance so much so that a number of unnamed countries are now interested in Ukraine's experience using interceptor drones to shoot down strike UAVs.
Given that not only F-16s but even fifth-generation fighters such as the F-35 were scrambled to counter the drones, it's worth recalling the case of the US MQ-9 Reaper as an example of how obvious and sometimes cheaper countermeasures can be overlooked solutions that reduce weapon-cost per target, flight-hour cost, and platform risk, and that lower the chance of losing highly trained pilots.
Read more: Ukrainian Drones Strike Military Chemical Plant in russia
For example, after the 2023 encounter between an MQ-9 Reaper and a russian Su-27 over the Black Sea, U.S. media reminded readers that the Reaper can in fact carry AIM-9 air-to-air missiles for self-defense an option that seems to have been largely forgotten by parts of the U.S. military.
On the official U.S. Air Force armament lists the AIM-9s are not even mentioned for the MQ-9, yet a video surfaced showing that an MQ-9 Reaper successfully intercepted an airborne target, which turned out to be an unidentified flying object.
Going further back, in the 2000s the U.S. demonstrated how quickly a UAV can be adapted for air-defense roles: the Q-1 Predator was modified in three months to carry Stinger missiles to defend reconnaissance assets in Iraq. There was even an instance when a Q-1 fired two missiles at an Iraqi MiG-25; although the shots missed, the effect was psychological — Iraqi pilots were thereafter wary of approaching U.S drones.
Still, an MQ-9 Reaper armed with air-to-air missiles remains an expensive option for countering drones. Yet earlier this month it was reported that an MQ-9A Reaper has been used as a mother platform for the Switchblade 600 loitering munition. In general, an MQ-9 could also carry counter-UAV drones, which would significantly lower the cost of destroying hostile drones and could free up manned fighters now tasked with these missions.
Previously Defense Express wrote that Saab can quickly convert the MQ-9B into an unmanned airborne early warning platform, which would be an excellent solution for air-defense and beyond.
Read more: MQ-9A Reaper Becomes Mothership for Switchblade 600 with 175 km Range
