Capability adaptation: new Anti-Drone capability deployed by the French Air and Space Force’s Reaper drone

Paris, April 8, 2026 – In early April, at the Île du Levant firing range (Var, France), the French Air and Space Force (AAE), in coordination with the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), successfully conducted test firings of the Hellfire missile from an MQ-9 Reaper drone against drone-type aerial targets.

 The AAE’s innovative spirit has enabled the expansion of the use of this munition, initially designed for ground targets, just three months after the Hellfire missile entered service on the Reaper.

This success provides a new operational capability to counter the drone threat. The integration of this LAD capability on the Reaper also allows the French Air and Space Force to have a range of complementary, graduated responses adapted to the diversity of threats.

Capable of monitoring an area for very long periods, the Reaper offers persistence on the battlefield. Thanks to the high-definition thermal camera on board this remotely piloted drone, the crew can identify and classify the threat, a decisive advantage in the densest airspace.

In order to explore all means of protection against the drone threat, the French Air and Space Force’s Military Air Expertise Center (CEAM), supported by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), facilitated these Hellfire missile test firings from a Reaper.

The integration of the MQ-9 Reaper drone into LAD marks a new step in building a broader and multi-layered air defense. This capability enhances the existing capabilities of the French Air and Space Force in the area of ​​long-range air defense (LAD):

The Rafale provides high-performance, high-speed interception;

The Fennec helicopter is particularly well-suited for engaging relatively slow-moving or low-altitude threats;

The Reaper intercepts medium-sized targets at low and medium altitudes, thanks to its sensors and Hellfire missiles. Its stealth and ability to maintain a high-altitude presence for extended periods also allow it to engage targets over a long range;

The MAMBA (SAMP/T) and VL MICA (Vertical Launch MICA) surface-to-air missile systems destroy aerial targets at short and medium ranges;

Current trials of anti-drone drones will soon complement these capabilities.

The MQ-9 Reaper drone is a remotely piloted aircraft specializing in surveillance, reconnaissance, precision strike missions, and now, anti-drone operations. Its operation is controlled from the ground by a crew of four airmen: a pilot, a sensor operator, an intelligence officer, and an imagery analyst. This synergy enables real-time tactical analysis. The Reaper’s long endurance makes it a valuable asset for protecting sensitive areas and supporting forces deployed in a theater of operations.

Source French MoD

Unofficial translation by ERD On-Line

Photo courtesy Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace