EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska - The Air National Guard-Air Force Reserve Command Test Center, or AATC, partnered with the New York Air Guard’s 174th Attack Wing and the U.S. Air Force’s 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron to test an upgraded satellite communications, or SATCOM, capability of the MQ-9 Reaper during Northern Edge 2023.
Northern Edge 23 is a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command-sponsored, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces-led, multilateral, joint field training exercise scheduled for May 2023 at main operating bases Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
The MQ-9 is a remotely piloted aircraft primarily used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Air National Guard pilots, using the SATCOM upgrade, can fly intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in real time almost anywhere around the world from remote bases in the United States.
The MQ-9's upgraded SATCOM system uses advanced satellite technology to transmit data and communications over long distances. It is capable of flying at high altitudes for extended periods, and its sensors can provide real-time intelligence on adversary positions, movements and activities. The Air National Guard plans to deploy the upgraded MQ-9 to support ongoing operations worldwide, as well as for training exercises and other missions in support of U.S. national security objectives.
"The speed at which this modernization effort and test program has been accomplished highlights the ‘Accelerate, Change or Lose’ vision from Gen. Brown," said Maj. Ryan Nastase, Test Program Manager. “This SATCOM upgrade will allow pole-to-pole operations while increasing the amount of data or bandwidth the MQ-9 can transmit and receive by more than double and reducing the latency or time of transmission by a factor of 10.”
With the upgraded SATCOM capability, the MQ-9 can continue to modernize by integrating more advanced sensors that require increased bandwidth. The upgrade enhances the MQ-9s' ability to provide real-time situational awareness to combatant commanders worldwide.
"This upgrade is a game-changer for the MQ-9 and the Air National Guard," said Lt. Col. Matthew Harris, test pilot at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Syracuse, New York. "We can better support our combatant commanders and provide critical intelligence in real-time."
The SATCOM upgrade is one of many advancements being fielded on the MQ-9. The Air National Guard and its partners continually work to enhance the capabilities of these critical assets, providing combatant commanders with the best possible support.