MQ-9 Reaper

[merlin]

A british registered MQ-9 has been hanging out just north of Victorville all day long now.

 

[merlin]

LOL, no sooner posted this and it put down at El Mirage.

 

[n0esc]

The airport outside Palmdale is where General Atomics builds them. Gray Butte Field Airport · 25500 E Ave R 8, Palmdale, CA 93591

General Atomics Aeronautical · 25500 E Ave R 8 #75, Palmdale, CA 93591

★★★★★ · Manufacturer

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[PACNWDude]

Any radio intercepts by chance? Used to use Icom black box receivers and went to WinRadio, but not sure what they use now....most likely something software defined. I do not have access to a ROVR kit anymore, made overflights of these a lot more interesting. (MQ-9 armed with more than two Hellfire missiles - [RQ-1 surveillance only, MQ-1 had two Hellfires]).

 

[merlin]

The airport outside Palmdale is where General Atomics builds them. Gray Butte Field Airport · 25500 E Ave R 8, Palmdale, CA 93591

General Atomics Aeronautical · 25500 E Ave R 8 #75, Palmdale, CA 93591

★★★★★ · Manufacturer

maps.app.goo.gl

This one put down at El Mirage field, about 6 miles northeast. Also registered in UK.
I have been in and out of El Mirage myself, nothing more than a strip of asphalt in the desert.

 

[merlin]

Any radio intercepts by chance? Used to use Icom black box receivers and went to WinRadio, but not sure what they use now....most likely something software defined. I do not have access to a ROVR kit anymore, made overflights of these a lot more interesting. (MQ-9 armed with more than two Hellfire missiles - [RQ-1 surveillance only, MQ-1 had two Hellfires]).

Any radio intercepts by chance? Used to use Icom black box receivers and went to WinRadio, but not sure what they use now....most likely something software defined. I do not have access to a ROVR kit anymore, made overflights of these a lot more interesting. (MQ-9 armed with more than two Hellfire missiles - [RQ-1 surveillance only, MQ-1 had two Hellfires]).

Their comms stretch across the domestic airbands and mil frequencies, added some cofiguration blocks for ground links to fire fighters, or even P25 DHS. Actually never saw an armed MQ-9 other than "equipped for" farmed out of Beal AFB usually sent to middle east or now, Ukraine. A pair of hellfires + a pair of AGM-88s or a pair of ATGMs (any combination up to 4) The GAU gun pod makes these very bad bois.

 

[n0esc]

This one put down at El Mirage field, about 6 miles northeast. Also registered in UK.
I have been in and out of El Mirage myself, nothing more than a strip of asphalt in the desert.

There's a hanger for them at El Mirage too. If you look at GMaps for there, the runway and apron are painted pretty much for drone flights only, they only repaved the length of runway they need. Guessing most every GA airport in that area that isn't already saturated with private owners or a busy flight school probably has a hanger filled with their equipment, either outright builds or maintenance, testing, etc...

General Atomics · 73 El Mirage Airport Rd, Adelanto, CA 92301

★★★★☆ · Aircraft supply store

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[merlin]

There are like 6 small airstrips clustered in this area south of Edwards, some are used for flight schools.
Fox field at least has FSS, fuel, and has good burgers in the restauraunt.( or used to)