MoD signs leasing contract for Reaper reconnaissance drones

Poland's defence minister announced on Thursday the signing of a leasing contract for the MQ-9A Reaper drone reconnaissance system.

Mariusz Blaszczak, who is also a deputy prime minister, tweeted: "A further investment in Poland's security. We have signed a leasing contract for the Polish Army for the MQ-9A REAPER unmanned reconnaissance system. This is a bridging solution. We will use it until gaining our own unmanned reconnaissance system."

The contract, between the State Treasury's Armaments Agency and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., had a net value of USD 70.6 million.

The MQ-9A reaper is an American unmanned aerial vehicle powered by a Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop engine. The aircraft's flight duration is up to 72 hours and it has a range of up to 1,800 kilometres. The drone is currently used by France, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy. American Reapers have been deployed to Poland.