The U.S. Air Force has confirmed it has come up with a new set of requirements as it continues to look for a successor to its hard-working MQ-9 Reaper fleet. In contrast to the Reaper, the replacement aircraft is likely to be more flexible in terms of mission spectrum.
At the same time, the service wants to use new manufacturing technologies to ensure that it can be built at scale and at a lower price point than the MQ-9. This would allow it to be bought in larger numbers and risked more freely in contested environments. All this reflects the continued high utility placed on the MQ-9 fleet, as well as its considerable loss rates sustained against mid-tier and lower-tier adversaries .
What You Need to Know
- Source: The Drive
- Published: May 13, 2026 at 21:55 UTC
- Category: War
- Topics: #military · #weapons · #conflict
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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 13, 2026
The Drive
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