Poland to lease MQ-9A Reaper drones from US

Poland has decided to lease MQ-9A Reaper UAVs until it receives the MQ-9B Reapers it ordered from the United States. Poland is continuing to increase its defense spending following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Polish Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Blaszczak announced that they had signed an agreement with US company General Atomics to lease MQ-9A drones. Saying that until the MQ-9B Reaper UAVs ordered from the United States are delivered, the MQ-9A Reaper UAVs will be used, Blaszczak added: '(This is) another investment in Poland's security. We have signed a lease agreement for MQ-9A Reaper for the Polish army. We will benefit from the MQ-9A Reaper until we receive our own UAVs.' Blaszczak said that the agreement aimed to increase the ability of the Polish Armed Forces to obtain intelligence data. It was also noted that the agreement is worth $70,6 million and can be extended until the delivery of MQ-9B Reaper UAVs ordered by the Polish army. The MQ-9A Reaper, one of the biggest unmanned aerial vehicles, has a 20-meter wingspan and can successfully target Hellfire missiles. It can also stay airborne for 20 hours and reach a height of 40,000 feet.