DVIDS – News – MQ-9 Reaper aircraft plays key role in Indo-Pacific exercise

Exercise Valiant Shield 2022 included MQ-9 aircraft in practice operations for the first time from May 25 to June 20 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The 119th Wing, North Dakota Air National Guard, and 174th Attack Wing, New York Air National Guard, launched, piloted, and recovered MQ-9 Reaper aircraft to provide mission-critical awareness during the ‘exercise.
Valiant Shield 2022 was a 12-day joint field training exercise (FTX) aimed at improving integration between U.S. military forces by conducting joint operations at sea, on land, in the air and in cyberspace.
It provided an opportunity for members of MQ-9 Company to partner and make a difference while providing dynamic employment of force and maritime domain awareness in a new location.
Members of the 119th Wing and 174th Attack Wing teamed up to demonstrate the capabilities of the MQ-9 Reaper overseas.
Pilots and sensor operators from several units also participated by flying the MQ-9 aircraft from ground control stations from bases throughout the continental United States.
“This is the first time the MQ-9 has participated in the dynamic employment of force at the heart of the Indo-Pacific command, making this an important exercise,” said a 119 Wing sensor operator participating in the training. exercise.
The MQ-9 is essential in providing awareness that other aircraft cannot. With its extended loiter time and detection capabilities, the MQ-9 is a very capable aircraft that provides insight that others cannot.
“An example of the MQ-9 providing maritime domain awareness for Exercise Valiant Shield was a simulated kill chain exercise where the MQ-9 was able to identify, target, and track the asset using full video. screen (FMV) and broadcasting intelligence from a level 1 target. Without the MQ-9 in this kill chain exercise, it would not have gone well and it would have failed without our capabilities,” the 119 Wing MQ-9 Pilot 1 participating in the exercise.
Pilot 1 said: “It is important for us to communicate the capabilities that we can provide through the use of the MQ-9 Reaper to other entities that are unaware of them. The Valiant Shield exercise allowed us to partnering with new bands and explaining how our technology is having a meaningful impact on this theater.”
“One of the big takeaways was learning what team building really means,” said 119 Wing MQ-9 Pilot 2 participating in the exercise. “It was amazing to see how the team came together and pulled off some very difficult tasks,” he added.
Exercise Valiant Shield was a success in bringing units together to showcase the capabilities the MQ-9 Reaper offers with Maritime Domain Awareness, FMV, Extended Maritime Search (MWAS), as well as the opportunity to test new capabilities to ensure the viability of the MQ-9 in support of the recently released National Defense Strategy.