A U.S. MQ-9 Reaper performed a historic multirole mission in the deliberate air campaign against Taliban revenue sources, releasing four 500 pound precision guided munitions from a single Reaper, effectively destroying a Taliban narcotics facility in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Feb 22.
In a new approach, MQ-9s are being tasked in a multirole capacity, to include executing deliberate strikes, armed over watch or close air support missions, and then flex to an ISR tasking – all in a single mission. This approach offers planners greater flexibility in choosing the optimal strike capability from a variety of manned and unmanned aircraft supporting operations, including F-16s, B-52s, A-10s and MQ-9s.
Source: USAF