France to arm intelligence-gathering UAVs to counter threat from regional terrorist groups

摘要

French Minister of Defence Florence Parly declared in Toulon on 5 September that, beginning in 2019, France would arm six of its planned 12 MQ-9 Reaper intelligence-gathering and surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Five of its current six US-procured Reapers are currently deployed to Niger under its Operation Barkhane counter-insurgency commitment, with a further six due for delivery by the end of 2019.