MQ-9 Pilot Officer

Introductory Text

Dreaming of flying and working with the latest technology? Do you want to be part of a team that conducts missions with high-tech drones around the world, all from Dutch soil? Then this is your chance. As a Pilot Officer on the MQ-9 Reaper with the Royal Netherlands Air Force, you will pilot one of the most advanced unmanned aircraft in the world. You will provide direct support to missions, gather crucial intelligence, and contribute to the safety of our military personnel and international partners.

In short: you are the link between technology and tactics, bringing the future of air operations to life.

What you will do

Your main task is, of course, piloting the unmanned aircraft, the MQ-9 Reaper, but you will also perform other tasks within your squadron. For example, you can obtain qualifications as a Launch & Recovery pilot, flight instructor, weapons instructor, or flight safety officer, depending on your interest. Additionally, you will share your experiences with other pilots. After each flight, you will analyze potential areas for improvement and discuss them during a debrief with the entire team.

As an MQ-9 pilot, you will work closely with a team of specialists. Next to you in the Ground Control Station is a sensor operator, and via intercom, you have contact with a team of analysts who view and process the data. Together, you will carry out various missions, particularly in the field of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR). This allows you to provide support to, for example, ground troops in combat situations and, if necessary, also provide direct support with weapons deployment.

PLUS POINTS OF THIS FUNCTION

• Salary: your gross base salary, with allowances and our favorable travel, pension, and health insurance schemes, will result in a pleasant net surprise. In addition to your salary, the Air Force supports MQ-9 pilots with additional programs. With these programs, you will have the opportunity to further shape your career as a pilot and elevate your skills to a higher level.
• Work atmosphere: you will never be part of such a close-knit team of colleagues as with the Ministry of Defence.
• Challenge: from Leeuwarden Air Base, you will pilot the unmanned aircraft MQ-9 Reaper in mission areas.

View the pilot magazine or the pilot page for more information.

Where you will work

Your workplace? Leeuwarden Air Base, the beating heart of innovation within the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Here you will be part of 306 Squadron, where technology, teamwork, and adventure come together. From the state-of-the-art Ground Control Station (GCS), you will pilot the MQ-9 Reaper, one of the most advanced drones in the world. While you are in control from the Netherlands, your aircraft will carry out missions in locations thousands of kilometers away. However, deployment for national tasks is also certainly possible. The MQ-9 is rightly called 'deployable worldwide'.

Before you get there, you will embark on an impressive journey. You will start with the Defence-wide Short Officer Training (DKOO) at the Royal Military Academy (KMA) in Breda, where you will be trained as an officer. Afterward, an adventure awaits in the United States: you will learn to fly with the US Navy in Pensacola, Florida, on the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II and continue your training on the T-44 Pegasus (Beech King Air B90) in Corpus Christi, Texas. There, you will not only learn to fly twin-engine aircraft but also to work together according to the crew concept.

Finally, you will go to Holloman, New Mexico, for conversion training to the MQ-9 Reaper with the US Air Force. There, you will discover how this high-tech drone is used during real missions and prepare yourself for a role where technology, responsibility, and adrenaline come together.

MQ-9 Pilot Officer €4,050 ~ €4,450 salary 23 ~ 30 days off per year Obtain your driver's license free of charge Location: LeeuwardenMQ-9 Pilot Officer What you will do These topics are frequently asked at the Defence Chatbot This is what you get from us 5 items No pilot in the cockpit This is your team Rico Nick Niels Air Combat Controller Technical Service Pilot This is you

Perhaps you are hesitant. We are not. We see not only who you are now but also who you can become. What you can't do today, you'll learn tomorrow. With good education, training, guidance, and a team that stands behind you.

Take the step How do I prepare?

Don't worry, we believe in you. At Defence, you will receive everything you need to grow: good education, training, coaching, AND a team that stands behind you. If it doesn't work out, we will help you further. Together, we will look for where you do belong within Defence.

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Do you have more questions about this vacancy? We are happy to help.

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