Official USAF 17th Attack Squadron Bulls Reaper Driver Patch — Driving the Reaper From the Ground, Delivering Death From Above
Reaper Driver. Two words that mean you fly one of the most lethal platforms in the modern battlespace.
The 17th Attack Squadron (17 ATKS) — the 'Bulls' — operates the MQ-9 Reaper from Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, as part of the 432nd Wing, the Air Force's only wing dedicated exclusively to remotely piloted aircraft combat operations. The term 'Reaper Driver' has become the identity marker of the MQ-9 pilot community — the men and women who fly the most capable hunter-killer unmanned aircraft system in the world from ground control stations stateside while their aircraft execute missions over denied and contested airspace thousands of miles away. The MQ-9 Reaper can loiter at altitude for over 27 hours, carrying a mix of Hellfire missiles, laser-guided bombs, JDAMs, and electro-optical and infrared sensor packages that provide full-motion video to commanders and ground forces in real time. Reaper Drivers in the 17th Attack Squadron have been at the center of the Air Force's most high-profile operations across the Middle East and Africa, supporting special operations forces, conducting dynamic targeting, and providing overwatch that has saved countless lives on the ground. The 'Reaper Driver' identity is worn with pride by a community that has redefined what it means to be a combat aviator in the 21st century — trading the cockpit for a ground station, but delivering the same precision lethality as any manned platform. This patch marks membership in that exclusive community.
Perfect For: MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operators, 17th Attack Squadron Bulls airmen, 432nd Wing and Creech AFB personnel, RPA community members, and anyone who proudly identifies as a Reaper Driver.