The Marine Corps has sent an MQ-9A Reaper drone unit to the Philippines to support reconnaissance operations in the South China Sea.
Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1, based in Arizona under the command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, deployed several MQ-9A Reapers this month. NICU News first reported the deployment. The drones are unarmed and are being sent to support the Philippines' security efforts, following increased tension in the disputed maritime region, where China has claimed disputed territory.
“The temporary stationing of unarmed MQ-9As in the Philippines demonstrates a mutual commitment to enhancing collective maritime security and supports our shared goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the Marine Corps said in a media statement regarding the deployment.
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MQ-9 Reaper drones can fly for more than 24 hours at a range of more than 1,000 miles. They serve multiple roles, including reconnaissance, surveillance and, when armed, carrying out targeted strikes. It is unclear how many have been deployed.
The deployment of the drone unit follows several transfers of military assets as the United States and its allies build up their forces on the Korean Peninsula and in island nations to the east of China. At the end of October, the United States and the Philippines announcement a new task force to coordinate maritime security near the South China Sea.
The Air Force recently RELAUNCH a World War II unit intended to serve as a drone-focused force on the Korean Peninsula. The 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron was reactivated under the 7th Air Fleet, operating MQ-9 Reapers from Kunsan Air Base for surveillance missions in the Indo-Pacific.
The deployment of the Marine Corps' Reaper drones comes after several months of various exercises between the United States and partner nations in the Western Pacific. These range from air defense exercises to mock the island's defense training. The Marine Corps recently deployed several of its advanced weapons to the Western Pacific, including its air defense system and the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) anti-ship missile platform during exercises in Japan.
The US military currently has several assets deployed near the South China Sea, including the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its carrier strike group. Late last month, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet and an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter were lost at sea the same day, in separate incidents; all crew members were recovered unhurt. The aircraft carrier USS George Washington recently left South Korea after several days docking in Busan.
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