MQ-9 Reaper
Coverage of MQ-9 Reaper in the Nexus archive.
- Pentagon to explore cheaper replacements for the MQ-9 Reaper
The Pentagon is seeking cheaper, long-range drones to replace the MQ-9 Reaper due to high loss rates in conflicts like the Iran War. The Massed Modular Aircraft (MMA) project aims to develop expendable drones with large payloads and ranges, designed to overwhelm enemy defenses through mass production and autonomous operations. The project targets an Initial Operating Capability by FY2031.
- Iranian Missile Strike on US Base in Kuwait Wounds 5 and Destroys MQ-9 Reapers
Iran launched a Fateh-110 missile targeting the US Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, which was intercepted by Kuwaiti air defenses. The attack injured five American service members and civilian contractors and destroyed an MQ-9 Reaper drone. The strike occurred amid a pending peace agreement.
- Air Force dubs MQ-9 the ‘MVP’ of Epic Fury as lawmakers press manned-unmanned future
Air Force leaders testified to Congress that the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft was the MVP in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, while the service's fiscal 2027 budget request allocates significantly more funding to crewed fighters like the F-35 and F-47. Lawmakers challenged the disconnect between the Air Force's praise for unmanned systems and actual budget allocation, with the MQ-9 fleet shrinking to 135 aircraft after 24 losses exposed vulnerabilities to modern air defenses.