US Air Force seeks $10 million drone to replace MQ-9 Reaper

The US Air Force is seeking to develop a new uncrewed aircraft platform, dubbed the Mass Modular Air Vehicle (MMA), to succeed the MQ-9A Reaper. The initiative aims to address high operational costs and recent losses of the Reaper platform during operations.

The Air Force is targeting a unit cost of approximately $10 million for the air vehicle, excluding sensors and other mission-specific systems. This represents a significant reduction compared to the $30 million to $50 million cost of a fully equipped MQ-9 Reaper. Lt. Gen. Christopher Niemi, the service’s Chief Modernization Officer, indicated that the goal is to provide a more economical solution that allows for greater operational flexibility through a ‘High-Low mix’ of assets.

Technical requirements for the MMA include a minimum airspeed of 200 knots, a payload capacity for munitions and sensors of at least 2,800 pounds, and an unrefueled combat radius of at least 2,300 nautical miles. The platform is intended to perform intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and strike missions using a modular, open-architecture design to facilitate easy maintenance and future capability upgrades.