The French armys Reaper drone learns a new trick: shooting down drones

There was nothing trivial about this demonstration. The Hellfire, well known for its precision strikes, was not originally designed to shoot down aerial drones. And its integration onto the Reaper is recent – barely three months. The adaptation was therefore carried out quickly, demonstrating that the issue of enemy drones is becoming urgent.

A successful test shot

The test was carried out with the support of the General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) and the Military Air Expertise Center (CEAM), two key players in experimenting with new uses. In other words: we test, we adjust, and we deploy quickly. So far, the MQ-9 Reaper has mostly been an eye in the sky. Surveillance, reconnaissance, targeted strikes – a well-fulfilled role. But with this new capability, it moves to the next level: it can now handle threats it identifies itself.

Its main advantage is time. Unlike a fighter jet that intervenes punctually, the Reaper can stay in the air for long hours. It patrols, observes, identifies, and now, it can shoot if necessary. On board (well, on the ground), a team of four people pilot the operations: a pilot, a sensor operator, an intelligence officer, and an image analyst. Together, they scrutinize real-time data and decide on the action to take.

Thanks to its high-definition thermal sensors, the drone can spot and classify targets even in complex environments. And now, it no longer needs to call for reinforcements to neutralize an aerial threat: it can handle it directly. This new role does not replace other means of air defense, it complements them. The idea is to multiply options according to the situation.

The Rafale jets remain champions in high-altitude rapid interception. The Fennec helicopters take care of slow or low-altitude targets. Ground-to-air systems provide protection at different distances. And in the midst of all this, the Reaper quietly settles in as an armed lookout. It covers an area for a duration and intervenes if a drone intrudes where it shouldn’t.

Other solutions are already in preparation, including drones specialized in anti-drone warfare. The system continues to expand as these devices have become ubiquitous in combat zones. Small, discreet, sometimes difficult to detect, they force armies to rethink their methods. Rather than starting from scratch, the strategy also involves adapting what already exists. The Reaper is a good example: a well-known platform to which new functions are gradually added.