U.S. Approves MQ-9 Follow-On Contractor Logistics Support for France
The U.S. State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of France of MQ-9 Follow-on Contractor Logistics Support and related equipment for an estimated cost of $300 million.
France had requested to buy follow-on Contractor Logistics Support to include contractor provided MQ-9 aircraft components, spares and accessories; repair and return; software and software support services; simulator software; personnel training and training equipment; publications and technical documentation; U.S. Government and contractor provided engineering, technical and logistical support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated total cost is $300 million, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a release Friday.
The U.S. State Department approved the sale of 16 unarmed MQ-9s, associated equipment, ground control hardware, and support, worth up to $1.5 billion total. Although the Reapers were capable of carrying weapons back then, France had chosen earlier to not to arm them.
In January 2014, French Air Force took delivery of MQ-9 (Block 1) Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Reaper drones and deployed them at Niamey Air Base in Niger for border reconnaissance in the Sahel desert. These drones complemented Harfang drones that are already operating in various theaters.
By using optical and radar sensors to effect real-time monitoring, the range and endurance of the Reaper drones allowed the French forces to operate throughout the Sahel-Saharan strip.
