Jane Edwards
Pennsylvania-based Tobyhanna Army Depot and General Atomics unveiled on Tuesday a maintenance, repair and overhaul capability for the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system as part of a public-private partnership.
Tobyhanna said Thursday the ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to mark the opening of the depot’s MRO capability for the Reaper ground control station’s file server, Linux processors and control consoles.
The depot and General Atomics’ aeronautical systems business started work on the capability nearly 10 years ago. Under the partnership, the two parties developed training guides, technical manuals, test program sets and specialized test equipment to facilitate repair processes at the depot.
“I see Tobyhanna as a purple readiness provider, meaning we serve all branches of America’s armed forces. Just as America’s armed forces collectively serve to defend our nation, the success of this partnership is a testament to the collective effort of everyone in involved in this project,” said Col. Benjamin Kilgore, commander of Tobyhanna Army Depot.
Tobyhanna said the partnership aligns with Army and Department of Defense transformation efforts that seek to advance a leaner and more agile Army through the development of advanced drone capabilities.
What Is MQ-9 Reaper?
MQ-9 Reaper is a remotely piloted aircraft designed to support an intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance payload and munitions equipment. In addition to ISR, the drone can perform precision strike, close air support, target development and combat search and rescue missions.
