US MQ-9 Drone, Russian-Origin Orion UAV; Which Is More Effective?

(Photo : John Moore/Getty Images)
The US MQ-9 drone has come under scrutiny as the Russian-origin Orion UAV is contrasted to see which is better.

The USAF and VKS deploy the US MQ-9 Reaper drone and the Russian Orion UAV in drone warfare. Last Tuesday, Russian fighters knocked a reaper drone from the air over international waters and was alleged to be the best drone.

US MQ-9 Reaper Drone Taken Out by VKS

The EUCOM claimed that two Russian Su-27 Flanker jets flew a dangerous and unprofessional intercept of a reaper drone by messing with a propeller to make it crash in the Black Sea, reported Newsweek.

Samuel Bendett, a Russia analyst for the Center for Naval Analyses, stated that the Reaper is better than other drones. He said the Orio UAV is less tested than the US drone. Other details show that on Tuesday, the US drone was dumped with fuel then the Flanker went in front of it. Which was criticized by US officials outraged at the incident.

US Reaper UAV

Another name for the MQ-9 is the Predator B, remotely controlled by the US firm General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), first used in 2001. A pilot and sensor operator control its functions, per Airforce Technology.

Reaper was the namesake given by the US and RAF, and the maker says that it is an improved version of the earlier predator. Better performance and reliability are its selling points. Can fly with a top speed of 276 mph with 27 hours of endurance operating up to 50,000 feet high in the air. The total payload limit is 3,850 pounds, with an extra 3,000 pounds on weapons mounts.

GA-ASI added an improvement of 500% more payload with nine times more horsepower than its predecessor, allowing more loitering time and surveilling, with the ability to launch a standoff attack.

The Retired Air Force General T. Michael Moseley referred to it in 2006 as the USAF's first hunter-killer UAV, which exceeded the MQ-Predator on all specifications.

Since the introduction of the Reaper into the USAF, which is used in intelligence collecting and to take out and execute targets remotely, its sensors allow the use of precision arms for a strike, coordination, and reconnaissance of targets that we designate for termination at the right moment.

The platform is multi-use, from getting intel and support to other functions linked to other battlefield units.

The Orion UAV

This Orion drone (Military Africa) was developed by the firm Kronstadt that is used by several services like the Russian Aerial Forces and the Navy with Special Operations that use this drone.

Designated as MALE or Medium Altitude Long Endurance UAV, which is all Russia made from local components, remarked a source.

The unmanned aircraft has a maximum weight at the take-off of 2,535 pounds with a loitering time of 24 hours. It has a maximum air speed of 124 mph and can climb to 26,606 feet of altitude.

One exercise was held in December 2021 at the Crimean training area when the recon and attack drone fired at a rotary UAV. It was testing how accurate it was to hit, remarked the Defense Post. Another source said that a new laser-guided munition would equip the Russian UAV, which is getting an updated variant soon.

Comparison of the US MQ-9 drone to the Russian-origin Orion UAV is inevitable as these systems will be used a lot on the battlefield.