USAF Targets $10M, Modular Drone to Replace MQ-9 Reaper
The U.S. Air Force is pursuing a Massed Modular Aircraft (MMA) to replace the MQ-9A Reaper, aiming for a roughly $10 million per-aircraft cost (excluding sensors and some systems) and an accelerated development timeline to counter ongoing Reaper losses in operations against Iran. The MMA would perform the same ISR and strike missions as the Reaper, but would be highly modular with open-architecture mission systems to enable future upgrades, while trading some capabilities to hit the lower cost. The service seeks to field an initial fleet by around 2031 and eventually acquire at least 180 MMAs, with vendors including General Atomics and Northrop Grumman exploring designs. The push comes amid significant MQ-9A attrition and a shrinking fleet, underscoring the drive for a cheaper, mass-producible unmanned platform, though no single replacement is yet defined.