🕒 Created · Updated

Lt. Gen. Christopher Niemi accelerates development of Massed Modular Aircraft to replace high-cost MQ-9A Reaper drones

The U.S. Air Force is accelerating the timeline for the Massed Modular Aircraft (MMA) program to replace the MQ-9A Reaper drone. Lt. Gen. Christopher Niemi, the Air Force’s chief modernization officer, stated that the service is moving faster because the current rate of Reaper losses in combat operations against Iran is concerning. While the Air Force currently has a large inventory of MQ-9As, the service is going through them at a rate that makes a quick successor necessary. Lt. Gen. Christopher Niemi noted that the MQ-9A Reaper costs between $30 million and $50 million per unit, making it expensive to lose in combat. The new MMA drones are targeted to cost approximately $10 million each, which is about half the cost of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and significantly cheaper than the Reaper. The Air Force aims to field at least 180 MMA drones, with the first 20 mission-ready aircraft expected by fiscal 2031. To achieve these lower costs, the Air Force will use proven technology rather than cutting-edge systems. The MMA drones will be turboprop-powered, long-range aircraft capable of carrying heavy payloads. General Atomics is currently competing for the program with a design called Wildfire.

Sources

Paywall and unreadable sources