USMC orders two MQ-9s

The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has ordered two MQ-9 from General Atomics for $26 million, the Pentagon announced on Jun. 22.

Syracuse, NY – A remotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper operated by the New York Air National Guard’s 174th Attack Wing flies a routine training mission over Central New York on October 23, 2016. The California Air National Guard has been using MQ-9s as an eye-in-the-sky to help firefighters focus their efforts in fighthing the massive Thomas Fire. (U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Master Sgt. Eric Miller/released)

The contract includes one dual control mobile ground control station; one modular data center; and one mobile ground control station.

The service has been training its own personnel to operate the unmanned aircraft with the first two Marines graduating from the Basic Sensor Operator Course on Aug. 9, 2019.

A crew from VMU-1 took control of a General Atomics Company Owned/Company Operated (COCO) MQ-9A over the Middle East on Mar. 20 this year.

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