U.S. Air Force Aims for $10 Million MQ-9 Reaper Successor with MMA Program
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- TheWarZone
The U.S. Air Force is targeting a unit price of approximately $10 million for a drone to succeed the MQ-9A Reaper, significantly lower than the current $30 million to $50 million cost of a fully equipped Reaper. The new drone, named the Massed Modular Aircraft (MMA), is being developed amid concerns over recent Reaper losses in operations against Iran.
This initiative is crucial as the Air Force seeks to enhance its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities while reducing costs. Lt. Gen. Christopher Niemi emphasized that the MMA should perform similar missions as the MQ-9A, with specific requirements including a speed of at least 200 knots and a combat radius of 2,300 nautical miles. The goal is to achieve a unit cost that is closer to half that of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).
Looking ahead, the Air Force acknowledges that trade-offs will be necessary to meet the lower cost target for the MMA. Niemi indicated that while the MMA will likely resemble the MQ-9, it will utilize proven technologies to drive down costs. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
USAF Wants MQ-9 Reaper Successor At A Fraction Of The Cost At $10M Each
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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