Spain receives another pair of Reapers
Spain is the first international customer to acquire the MQ-9A Block 5
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced on 1 December that it has delivered two more MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper UAVs and a ground control station (GCS) to the Spanish Air Force.
Delivery on 23 November, following acceptance tests carried out in the US by General Atomics, completed a 2015 FMS acquisition of four Reapers for ISR missions and three GCSs. The new MQ-9s will be operated by the 233rd Squadron at Talavera la Real Airbase near Badajoz.
Spain is not only the first international customer to acquire the MQ-9A Block 5 but it is also the first country to issue an Airworthiness Military Type Certificate for the aircraft.
‘This measure certifies that the entire system, including the maintenance, is safe for personnel in the air and on the ground,’ General Atomics noted. ‘It is also a key hurdle to clear to operate in national airspace.’
The 233rd Squadron has flown nearly 300 hours with its MQ-9A Block 5 aircraft. The Spanish Air Force ordered four aircraft in 2015 and another two in 2019.
According to Shephard Defence Insight, the Reapers in Spanish service are equipped with MTS-B EO/IR sensors and the Block 20A Lynx multi-mode radar.
Spain was the fifth European country to order Reaper, preferring it to the Heron TP for commonality with NATO allies (France, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK and the US) which also operate the UAV.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)]()
Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
-
![SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale]()
SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions]()
SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America]()
SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
-
![Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military]()
Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
