RAF retires MQ-9A Reaper after 18 years of service as Protector takes its place

The Royal Air Force (RAF) has officially retired its MQ-9A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS), marking the end of 18 years of operational service that began in 2007. 

The MQ-9A Reaper entered RAF service in October 2007, under an urgent operational requirement to support British troops in Afghanistan. Operated by XIII Squadron from RAF Waddington, the aircraft accumulated more than 173,000 flight hours during its career. 

Throughout its operational life, Reaper crews conducted persistent overwatch, armed reconnaissance, and precision strikes under Operation Herrick in Afghanistan and Operation Shader in the Middle East. 

“Over the last 18 years, the Reaper remotely piloted air system has been the backbone of RAF operations in the Middle East,” Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth, Chief of the Air Staff, commented. “Its capabilities have been critical in supporting UK and coalition forces. I am incredibly proud of all of the RAF personnel for their highly skilled operation over so many years.” 

Transition to MQ-9B Protector 

The retirement of Reaper paves the way for its successor, the MQ-9B Protector, which will assume intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike duties within the RAF’s future force structure. 

Protector introduces a host of enhancements over its predecessor, including greater endurance, upgraded sensors, enhanced payload capacity, and certification to operate in unsegregated UK airspace.

Unlike the Reaper, which was restricted to overseas deployment, the Protector is capable of flying in the UK in all classes of airspace and can thus operate directly from RAF Waddington, enabling greater flexibility in training and operations. 

This certification, granted by the UK’s Military Aviation Authority (MAA) in May 2025, represents a milestone: the MQ-9B is the first large remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) cleared to fly routinely in unsegregated UK airspace.

The RAF operated a fleet of ten Reapers during its peak years, several of which were lost or decommissioned over time. The final operational mission took place in late September 2025. 

The first MQ-9B Protectors have arrived at RAF Waddington in June 2025, with initial operational capability expected by the end of 2025 and full operational capability planned for 2026. The post RAF retires MQ-9A Reaper after 18 years of service as Protector takes its place appeared first on AeroTime.

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