The UK Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Reaper remotely piloted air system (RPAS) has achieved 10,000 flight hours in support of UK and coalition forces in Afghanistan.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has plans to order five additional Reaper RPASs and associated equipment for the RAF.

Reaper provides a persistent, armed intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability to the Royal Air Force to meet emerging operational needs.

It is operated by 39 Squadron, via satellite from a UK operations facility at Creech Air Force Base in the Nevada Desert.

Since May 2008, the system has been armed with Hellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs to enable it to better meet the requirements of ground commanders.