In May 1998, General Atomics was awarded a Block 1 upgrade contract to expand the capabilities of the Predator system. The MQ-9 Reaper has been serving as the USAF’s primary remotely piloted aircraft for offensive operations since 2018. The Predator UAV fleet was retired from the USAF’s service in March 2018. France placed a $123m order with GA-ASI for the 3rd / 4th systems of MQ-9 Block 5 programme in August 2018. GA-ASI delivered three Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper systems to the French Ministry of Defence in May 2015. A pre-production due regard radar (DRR) was tested onboard the Predator B RPA in February 2015. In May 2014, GA-ASI and Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) partnered to integrate R&S’ air traffic control radios on the Predator aircraft. It also partnered with Spanish engineering company SENER to provide Predator B RPA to the Spanish Government in March 2015. GA-ASI signed a memorandum of understanding with Fokker Technologies in June 2013 to offer the Predator B RPA to support the Dutch Government’s medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) capabilities. In 2011, GA-ASI signed two separate agreements with CAE and RUAG Aerospace Services to provide the Predator B UAS to Canada and the Federal Republic of Germany respectively. The USAF accepted the final MQ-1 Predator aircraft in March 2011. The USAF ordered 36 additional MQ-1B Predators equipped with Hellfire missile installation kits in September 2007. In August 2002, a Northrop Grumman Bat submunition was successfully dropped and a FINDER mini-UAV launched from a Predator UAV. A Predator UAV was used to drop a Hellfire missile in Yemen in November 2002, destroying a civilian vehicle carrying suspected terrorists. In February 2001, the Hellfire-C laser-guided missile was successfully fired from a Predator air vehicle in flight tests at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The MQ-1 Predator achieved initial operating capability (IOC) in February 2005. The unmanned systems were also deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Predator UAVs have been operational in Bosnia since 1995 in support of NATO, UN, and US operations. GA-ASI delivered the final two UAVs to the Italian Air Force in 2015. The Italian drones were deployed to Iraq in January 2005. The Italian Air Force ordered six Predator UAVs. A total of 268 Predators were delivered to the USAF, with the final delivery completed in March 2011.
Predators were operational with the USAF’s 11th and 15th Reconnaissance Squadrons.