Dutch Reaper UAVs to be armed with Hellfire missiles
The Netherlands is arming its MQ-9 Reapers in response to a changing security situation. (Photo: Dutch MoD)
The Dutch MoD has announced plans to arm its General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper fleet with laser-guided bombs and Hellfire missiles.
The Netherlands currently operates four MQ-9 Reapers but has four more aircraft on order.
The Netherlands’ new aircraft, due to arrive in 2026, will be ready to carry the weapons, and the existing four will be adapted to deploy them.
The GBU laser-guided bomb is already used on the F-35 fighter jet and the Hellfire missile on the Apache attack helicopter.
Related Articles
Saab details Finnish and Dutch combat training solutions at IT2EC 2023
Highway landing opens door to future MQ-9 Reaper capabilities
Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force begins trials with MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAS
However, the Hellfire missiles for the Reapers will be a newer variant.
When the Dutch started their Reaper project in 2011, the country deemed there not to be a requirement to arm the UAVs; however, the MoD said the threat picture had not changed significantly.
Arming the aircraft is estimated to cost between €100 to €250 million.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
MQ-9A Reaper (Second Batch) [Netherlands]
MQ-9A Reaper (First Batch) [Netherlands]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![NATO’s GlobalEye selection reflects a move towards greater European defence autonomy]()
NATO’s GlobalEye selection reflects a move towards greater European defence autonomy
The joint acquisition of Saab’s GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft by 11 allies marks the end of NATO’s more than four-decade reliance on a US-built airborne early warning platform.
-
![US Air Force lays the groundwork to move the F-15EX acquisition to lots 7 and 8]()
US Air Force lays the groundwork to move the F-15EX acquisition to lots 7 and 8
Procurement of the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System for future production lots signals the air force's commitment to an expanded 267-aircraft Eagle II fleet while sustaining full electronic warfare capability on every fighter.
-
![US Air Force unveils new details of Next Generation Airlift aircraft to replace C-17 and C-5]()
US Air Force unveils new details of Next Generation Airlift aircraft to replace C-17 and C-5
New planning documents reveal how the service is defining the aircraft expected to succeed the C-17 and C-5, including its initial requirements and procurement roadmap.
-
![Could CUAS demand open a new market for armed trainer aircraft?]()
Could CUAS demand open a new market for armed trainer aircraft?
As affordable counter-drone solutions become a military priority, repurposing training aircraft could emerge as a credible option to prepare for emergency scenarios.
-
![A new shape in the sky? Mapping out the F-47’s configuration]()
A new shape in the sky? Mapping out the F-47’s configuration
As images of what might be an F-47 prototype or proof-of-concept vehicle emerge from the Nevada desert, what do they tell us about the aircraft’s capabilities and enabling technologies?
