Netherlands to deploy Reaper drones to Romania to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank defense

Europe, News January 18, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) has announced its plans to deploy MQ-9A Reaper drones to Romania to strengthen the defense of NATO’s eastern flank.

The RNLAF announced that it would send three General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Romania, from where they would contribute to the NATO mission to keep Europe safe.

The unarmed aircraft will be stationed at Campia Turzii air base in Romania and will be used for reconnaissance missions to gather intelligence along the eastern border of Alliance territory. The RNLAF’s Reaper drones are operated by the 306 Squadron located at Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands.

As per the information, approximately 140 personnel of the Dutch Air Force are set to be deployed alongside the aircraft. The Dutch unit is expected to be deployed in Romania for about six months to one year.

The MQ-9 drones will support air shielding operations, with the primary objective being the surveillance of the NATO Alliance territory’s border. The drone will use its sensors to collect data and information to get an accurate overview of the situation. It would also help avert possible misunderstandings and prevent any potential escalations.

US MQ-9 Reaper Drone — *^{An MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flight line at Creech Air Force Base, NV. (Image Credit: Lance Cheung/U.S. Air Force)}*

The Netherlands acquired the first batch of its MQ-9 Reaper drones and ground control units from the U.S. defense manufacturer General Atomics in 2022. However, the initial batch of drones was acquired for surveillance and reconnaissance missions and the Dutch government did not buy any bombs and missiles to go with the drones.

In 2023, the Dutch Ministry of Defense announced its plans to upgrade its existing fleet of combat drones with GBU-12 laser-guided bombs and AGM-114 Hellfire II air-to-surface missiles.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the security dynamics of Europe have changed significantly as almost all European and NATO member states have increased their defense spending exponentially.

MQ-9 Reaper drone

The MQ-9 Reaper is an advanced long-range, high-altitude surveillance and attack drone. At the time of its induction in 2006, Reaper was the first of its kind hunter-killer UAV designed for long endurance and high-altitude target recognition. It has a large wingspan and long body that allows extended endurance and the ability to carry high volumes of ordnance payload and even cruise missiles.

MQ-9 Reaper has a maximum speed of 480 kilometers per hour and a cruising speed of 300 kilometers per hour. An MQ-9 Reaper drone can carry up to eight laser-guided missiles under its wings.

The United States Air Force (USAF) used different variants of the Reaper drones in Afghanistan and Iraq to carry out precise strategic attacks. Different variants of the Reaper drones are also used by militaries in France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Australia.