General Atomics Unveils Wildfire Drone as MQ-9 Reaper Successor
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- TheWarZone
General Atomics has introduced its new Wildfire drone design, aimed at fulfilling U.S. Air Force requirements for a cost-effective successor to the MQ-9A Reaper. This medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) uncrewed aircraft features a pusher-prop design similar to the Reaper but lacks its distinctive hump, suggesting potential advancements in communication technology.
The Wildfire drone is designed to carry four Joint Strike Missile (JSM) cruise missiles, enhancing its capabilities for anti-ship and land-attack missions. General Atomics aims to deliver a platform that not only meets the Air Force's needs but also offers improved performance and affordability compared to the Reaper, which is now out of production.
Looking ahead, General Atomics is focused on refining the Wildfire's capabilities, including its range and semi-autonomous control features. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
First Look At General Atomics’ Wildfire, Its Successor To The MQ-9 Reaper (Updated)
TheWarZone · Joseph TrevithickThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
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