Task Purpose
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The MQ-9 Reaper Keeps Getting Shot Down - And Still Gets Used
Posted
March 13, 2026
Views
249,296
Likes
8,344
Comments
621
Engagement
3.60%
March 13, 2026
249,296
8,344
621
3.60%
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The MQ-9 Reaper first flew 25 years ago, and somehow it’s still getting tasked. It’s slow, non-stealthy, and not built to survive in the worst modern air-defense environments. But it’s also one of the most useful “eyes in the sky” systems the U.S. has. From border missions to Operation Epic Fury, the Reaper keeps showing up. The Marine Corps is even using it for Indo-Pacific concepts too, pushing range, comms, and new payloads.
In this video, we cover where the MQ-9 came from, what it’s doing today, why it’s still valuable, and where the platform starts to run into hard limits.
Recorded: March 6th, 2026
Written by: Kyle Gunn
Edited by: Savvy
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