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France Demonstrates U.S.-Made MQ-9 Reaper Anti-Drone Capability with First Hellfire Trial Against Aerial Target

 On April 8, 2026, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces announced that the French Air and Space Force had successfully carried out its first Hellfire missile test firings from an MQ-9 Reaper against drone-type aerial targets during trials conducted on April 2 over the Île du Levant range. The event marks a notable evolution in the operational use of the French Reaper fleet, only three months after the Hellfire entered service within the force. More than a simple firing trial, it illustrates how France is seeking more scalable, more selective, and more sustainable ways to counter the growing threat posed by proliferating unmanned systems. At a time when air defense networks are under increasing pressure from low-cost and mass-produced drones, the experiment carries significance well beyond the test range and underscores a broader adaptation that is increasingly relevant across NATO air forces.  Read Full Defense News At This Link. 


France has demonstrated a rapid and operationally significant evolution of its MQ-9 Reaper fleet by successfully employing a Hellfire missile in an air-to-air role against a drone target, marking a shift toward persistent, layered counter-UAS air defense capabilities (Picture Source: French MOD / Qinetiq)




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