US Navy tests new comms pod for Marine Corps’ MQ-9A Reaper

The United States Navy (USN) has received and tested the first SkyTower II (STII) network extension pod for the Marine Corps’ MQ-9A Reaper, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has announced.

The STII is a network extension pod that, according to NAVAIR, improves the MQ-9A’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

Designed to enhance cross-domain communication capabilities and communications between spread out forces, the pod was successfully tested on the Marine Corps’ MQ-9A Reaper at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in February.

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“The programme is excited to deliver SkyTower II for testing, marking a major milestone in our development journey,” said Capt. Dennis Monagle, Multi-Mission Tactical UAS program manager.

“With robust system and integration testing now underway, we remain on track to achieve initial operating capability this year, delivering critical capability to the US Marine Corps and the joint forces.”

According to NAVAR, the Air Test and Evaluation 24 squadron conducted several different tests on the integrated pod, which included hoisting the aircraft in an anechoic chamber while providing power and satellite link control.

Over the next “several months” the team will carry out final tests before delivering the upgraded MQ-9As to the Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 (VMU-3) fleet.

The VMU-3 are reportedly set to be the first unit to deploy the upgraded system in 2026. In 2022, a US$135.8 million contract was awarded by the USN to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) for eight MQ-9A Reapers to meet the future requirements for the Marine Corps Force Design 2030 vision.

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