Netherlands Tests Armed MQ-9 Reaper Drone Before Adding Precision Strike Capability.

The Royal Netherlands Air Force flew an armed MQ-9 Reaper for the first time, moving the aircraft from an ISR-focused platform toward a combined surveillance and strike role. The change gives the Netherlands a persistent precision-engagement option already being pursued by other European MQ-9 operators within NATO.

The first flight used training ammunition, with live explosive weapons expected to follow during the next training phase. The Netherlands plans to equip its MQ-9A fleet with AGM-114R2 Hellfire missiles and GBU-49 guided bombs, while the aircraft assigned to 306 Squadron at Leeuwarden can remain airborne for up to 27 hours and operate at altitudes of 50,000 feet. Dutch MQ-9s are already deployed from Romania for NATO surveillance missions on the eastern flank, and the addition of weapons will allow the same platform to detect, track, and engage targets without transferring the mission to another combat aircraft.

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Dutch MQ-9A Reaper flies with training ammunition for the first time ahead of precision strike integration. (Picture source: Dutch MoD)

This development stems from a procurement decision taken in 2023, when the Netherlands chose to arm its MQ-9 fleet amid a deteriorating European security environment. Dutch authorities selected laser-guided bombs from the GBU family as well as AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, two categories of weapons already present in the national inventory through the F-35A and AH-64E Apache fleets. A 2025 overview of defense projects specifically lists the AGM-114R2 Hellfire and GBU-49 among the planned munitions, with initial operational capability expected in 2026 and full operational capability targeted for the end of 2028.

According to the Dutch Ministry of Defence in a statement published on August 20, 2026, this first armed flight was conducted with training ammunition, although the exact type of weapon carried was not specified. The ministry said the next phase will include training flights with weapons fitted with explosive warheads. This progression is intended to move the MQ-9 from a role centered on collecting and relaying data toward one in which the same aircraft can detect, track and, on the decision of its crew, engage a target.

The Dutch MQ-9A is assigned to 306 Squadron at Leeuwarden Air Base. The aircraft is about 11 meters long with a wingspan of nearly 20 meters and is powered by a Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop producing about 900 horsepower. Data published by the Dutch Ministry of Defence indicate a maximum speed of around 440 km/h, an operational ceiling of 50,000 feet and an endurance of up to 27 hours. Control remains in the hands of personnel operating from a ground station, and the decision to release a weapon is made by military personnel. The Reaper is therefore not an autonomous weapon system.

The arming of the Dutch MQ-9 forms part of a broader shift already under way among several European Reaper operators. France uses its MQ-9A Block 5 ER for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike missions with GBU-12, GBU-49 and AGM-114 Hellfire weapons. On April 2, 2026, the French Air and Space Force also successfully tested the Hellfire against aerial targets representing drones, only a few months after the missile entered service on the Reaper. With its MX-20 electro-optical sensor and SAR-GMTI radar, the platform can maintain persistent surveillance and then engage a target from the same aircraft, reducing the number of steps between detection and engagement.

Belgium is following a comparable path with the MQ-9B SkyGuardian. Officially introduced into service at Florennes in September 2025 with 2 Squadron “Comet,” the system is currently focused mainly on ISR missions, but Belgium’s Strategic Vision provides for the integration of a capability to carry and deliver precision-guided munitions. Brussels also plans to acquire a third MQ-9B system, with each system comprising two aircraft. The change comes as the Belgian SkyGuardian is already gaining operational experience within NATO missions. Between April and July 2026, an MQ-9B deployed to Sigonella in Sicily flew more than 400 hours during Operation Silent Spear in support of NATO’s Sea Guardian and Noble Shield missions, contributing in particular to Alliance maritime surveillance.

The Dutch case is therefore part of a broader evolution in the European use of medium-altitude long-endurance drones. France already operates an established strike capability on Reaper, the Netherlands is now entering the armed employment phase, and Belgium is preparing a similar transition with the MQ-9B. For NATO, this convergence provides platforms able to maintain surveillance over a sector for extended periods while retaining an engagement capability, particularly along the Alliance’s eastern and southern approaches. Dutch MQ-9s are already operating from Romania on surveillance missions along NATO’s eastern flank, while Belgian MQ-9Bs were deployed from Sigonella in 2026 in support of Sea Guardian and Noble Shield in the Mediterranean. The progressive arming of these platforms therefore adds a strike option to drones already integrated into operational Allied surveillance missions, with direct effects on responsiveness and continuity within the targeting chain.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.