U.S. Marines reach critical 100 pilot tally for MQ-9 drones

As part of an effort to fill out new squadrons with uncrewed systems, the United States Marine Corps has reached a critical milestone of 100 trained pilots for its General Atomics MQ-9 “Reaper” drones.

They are aiming to extend the Corps’ drone-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

This is a significant milestone for the Corps as it seeks to equip new squadrons with unmanned systems to expand the range and reconnaissance capabilities of its drone program.

A critical training milestone

In 2018, the Corps leased the MQ-9 “Reaper,” and they finally purchased…