US Tests New MQ-9 Reaper Drone Operations Near China

By Ryan Chan

China News Reporter

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The United States has tested a new way to expand its military drone operations in the western Pacific, as an MQ-9 Reaper launched and landed without a runway at Kadena Air Base in Japan, a front-line American air power hub near China and Taiwan.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Why It Matters

As part of the U.S. military presence in Japan, a key ally in Washington's strategy to contain China, the Air Force, the Marine Corps and the Navy have deployed drones across Japanese territory, including at Kadena Air Base, which has hosted unmanned aircraft from all three services as of September, according to a Newsweek map.

At a distance of 370 miles, Kadena is the closest U.S. air base to Taiwan—a self-ruled island claimed by China—and maintains a continuous fighter aircraft presence. The U.S. Air Force has been preparing for a potential Chinese missile attack on the airfield should Beijing respond to a possible U.S. military intervention in a war over Taiwan.

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What To Know

The 18th Wing, the U.S. Air Force host unit at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa Island, said in a Monday press release that an MQ-9 drone took off and returned safely to the ground on the night of October 8, using only a shortened taxiway rather than a runway.

The first-of-its-kind operation at Kadena Air Base was conducted under Project Lima BEAN—Blazing Egress Airfield Nonstandard—demonstrating the drone's ability to operate from non-traditional airfields and improvised environments, the 18th Wing said.

Project Lima BEAN and the flight experimentation are part of an Air Force operational concept known as Agile Combat Employment, which aims to give units greater flexibility to operate from anywhere in the world, according to the 18th Wing.

The drone was taken off by a local crew and landed by a stateside crew, demonstrating "seamless, cross-continental coordination between units." The flight also provided critical data to develop standardized procedures for future contingency operations.

Lieutenant Wesley Fulford, a drone pilot assigned to the 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, said the flight demonstration proved that the unit could expand "where and how we can operate," thereby increasing its rapid global mobility.

According to an official fact sheet, the MQ-9 drone is designed to collect intelligence and conduct airstrikes. It can carry missiles and bombs and has a range of 1,150 miles. Each aircraft is operated remotely by a team consisting of a pilot and a sensor operator.

What People Are Saying

U.S. Air Force 1st Lieutenant Wesley Fulford, a 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron MQ-9 drone pilot, said: "We are utilizing somewhat nonstandard procedures in the effort of building standard procedures…It increases our rapid global mobility by expanding where and how we can operate, giving commanders greater flexibility and maneuverability in the Indo-Pacific."

The U.S. Air Force's 18th Wing said: "Project Lima BEAN reinforces the 18th Wing's role in shaping the future of unmanned operations and highlights how innovation drives readiness across Pacific Air Forces…the 18th Wing continues to advance [Pacific Air Forces]'s mission to remain agile in execution, strategic in deterrence, and resilient in capability; ensuring airpower is ready to respond anytime, anywhere."

What Happens Next

It remains to be seen whether the U.S. Air Force will expand Project Lima BEAN to other airfields across the western Pacific to enhance its drones' operational flexibility.

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