The U.S. drone taken down Tuesday in the Black Sea was introduced in the 2000s in the midst of the Iraq War.
that"there was [a] deliberate intent to interfere with the MQ-9, but the collision seems to be simple incompetence."
It can hit speeds of 240 KTAS [knots true airspeed], or about 276 mph. It can operate for up to 27 hours mid-air at altitudes up to 50,000 feet, with a 3,850-pound payload capacity that includes 3,000 pounds of external stores. "The Reaper represents a significant evolution in UAV technology and employment," Moseley said at the time."We've moved from using UAVs primarily in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles before Operation Iraqi Freedom, to a true hunter-killer role with the Reaper."
It is the first MALE-class drone completely developed in Russia and built from domestic components, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
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