They had first been leased from General Atomics, but in late 2020 they were granted permission to procure two MQ-9A Block 5 Reapers. The Marines operate a small fleet of the Reapers as of now ...

This follows 2024's inaugural flight of the RAF's Protector RG Mk1 RPAS over the same base. The Protector RG Mk 1 (MQ-9B), successor to the Reaper (MQ-9A), is a next-gen MALE aircraft designed for ...