Pentagon Pursues Cost-Effective UAVs to Replace Reaper Drones Amid Combat Attrition

PARIS — The U.S. Pentagon is actively seeking a new generation of hunter-killer drones modeled after the MQ-9A Reaper but optimized for mass production at reduced costs within the next five years, according to a recent Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) procurement notice. This initiative follows significant losses sustained by the existing Reaper fleet during recent operations involving Iran.

The DIU notice highlights that reliance on “low-density, high-value” platforms is no longer viable against advanced adversary air defenses, prompting the need for drones designed with the expectation that some units will be lost during combat scenarios.

Officials anticipate that the winning design for the “Massed Modular Aircraft” (MMA) program must demonstrate a full-scale prototype within 21 months of contract award, with operational readiness targeted for fiscal 2031—requiring the immediate availability of 20 mission-ready drones. The push comes after nearly 30 MQ-9A Reapers were reportedly destroyed in recent conflicts, with each unit costing up to $50 million based on its configuration.

While the MMA is not explicitly framed as a direct replacement for the Reaper, the drone is intended to perform analogous strike and reconnaissance missions. The program emphasizes modularity, requiring the aircraft to support interchangeable payloads such as Full Motion Video (FMV) sensors to replicate the MQ-9A’s current capabilities.

General Atomics, which ceased production of the MQ-9A in 2025, is expected to compete for the MMA contract. The company has previously proposed its MQ-9B SkyGuardian as a potential alternative. President David Alexander of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems stated that the firm will present a solution that leverages the U.S. military’s three-decade investment in unmanned systems while offering superior performance and reduced operational risks.

The DIU’s procurement notice did not specify a target price but distinguished high-end “exquisite” drones as those exceeding $30 million. The program also mandates participant cost-sharing, with one-third of prototype expenses to be funded by non-federal sources. Additional requirements include a minimum 2,800-pound payload capacity, unrefueled transoceanic range of 8,000 nautical miles, modular design for rapid payload integration, resilient communications, a minimum airspeed of 200 knots, and multi-drone control capability.

DIU plans to structure the contract as an Other Transaction agreement, a streamlined procurement method designed to attract nontraditional defense partners. Should the prototyping phase succeed, follow-on production contracts could bypass standard competition processes. Interested parties submitted proposals by July 23.

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