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Last Update: 09/25/2026 at 11:41 PM EST
MQ-9 Reaper Successors
Coverage from Defense One, Air & Space Forces Magazine, and others
The MQ-9 Reaper has provided U.
S. forces with surveillance, precision strike, electronic warfare and rescue support, but its cost and vulnerability in contested airspace have intensified interest in alternatives. The U.S. Air Force and Defense Innovation Unit are examining attritable and modular successors, including the Massed Modular Aircraft program, while companies such as General Atomics, Swarm Aero, Anduril and Covenant pursue lower-cost platforms and weapons. The central question is whether distributed fleets of specialized, expendable systems can deliver greater resilience, scale and redundancy than a smaller force of expensive multirole aircraft.
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All Articles9 articles
Important
The U.S. Air Force is seeking at least 180 cheaper Massed Modular Aircraft after Iranian air defenses reportedly destroyed at least 45 MQ-9 Reapers during the war on Iran.
9/8/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
The U.S. Air Force and Defense Innovation Unit are accelerating the Massed Modular Aircraft program in response to combat losses against Iran and Iranian-backed militias, targeting fielding by 2029.
9/4/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
The US Air Force is evaluating cheaper specialized drone networks after reported MQ-9 Reaper losses reduced fleet strength during Middle Eastern operations.
9/14/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
The U.S. Air Force is accelerating development of the Massed Modular Aircraft in the United States after reported MQ-9A losses during operations involving Iran and Yemen.
9/4/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
The United States lost about 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones during Operation Epic Fury against Iran from April through June 2026, driving plans for cheaper attritable aircraft.
9/16/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
Interesting
The U.S. military lost 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during five months of war with Iran, prompting the Defense Innovation Unit to seek cheaper aircraft alternatives.
8/17/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
The Washington Post reported Friday that US forces lost or depleted more than $1.3 billion in MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, including operations near the Strait of Hormuz.
8/14/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
U.S. forces lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the Iran war, mainly around the Strait of Hormuz, according to Pentagon officials cited by The Washington Post.
8/13/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General
The U.S. military reportedly lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the Iran war, reducing inventories across American fleets.
8/13/2026 • Military Drones & Battlefield Use • General