Gwangju:<Text>
The MQ-9A Reaper, an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from the United States, was deployed at an air base in the southwestern city of Gwangju last month on a rotational basis, as data revealed on Friday. Images from the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, showed the unmanned aircraft conducting training at the air base, located approximately 265 kilometers south of Seoul, on July 22 and 24.
According to Yonhap News Agency, about 20 photos uploaded to the archive documented the Reaper during its training sessions. Captions accompanying the images indicated that this marked the "first time the Republic of Korea hosted the aircraft for an extended period." The MQ-9A is designed to perform both surveillance and attack missions and is capable of long-distance flight.
The deployment of the Reaper comes amid ongoing concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump's administration's plans to reo rient overseas-based U.S. forces, which could potentially impact U.S. Forces Korea troop levels. Earlier this year, the U.S. Army deployed the new ATHENA-R ISR jet to the Korean Peninsula, followed by F-35 fighter jets for training purposes.