The French air force is purchasing three additional MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft to augment its existing fleet, French acquisition officials announced. France is looking to purchase 16 Reapers under a possible $1.2 billion foreign military sale requested in 2013, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The NATO ally currently operates a single combat air patrol of MQ-9s, primarily supporting combat operations in North and West Africa from Niamey, Niger. The Armée de l’Air plans to take delivery of a second CAP of three aircraft next year, and the most recent order will boost the fleet to nine MQ-9s, comprising three CAPs by 2019, according to France’s defense acquisition agency. Officials plan to purchase a fourth CAP in the near future, bringing the fleet to 12 aircraft, officials stated. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems delivered the third MQ-9 to the Armée de l’Air, completing its first CAP in June, UPI reported.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.