General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has been awarded a $295,654,506 firm-fixed-price contract for MQ-9 Reaper production for the US Air Force.

This contract provides for production of the MQ-9 Reaper aircraft in the fiscal 2017 production configuration. Work will be performed in Poway, California, and is expected to be complete by July 29, 2021, a US DoD release said.

The MQ-9 Reaper is the primary offensive strike unmanned aerial vehicle for the US Air Force. With its significant loiter time, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite, and precision weapons. It can perform strike, coordination, and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets.