Why the Air Force needs a cheaper Reaper
WASHINGTON - Last week the Air Force released a request for information for a next-generation drone to replace the MQ-9 Reaper. The new unmanned aircraft, which should enter service in 2031, will have built-in AI to fly itself and learn from experience. However, the Air Force also wants a leap forward in another, more crucial area: cost. Because what they really need is a cheaper Reaper, reports David Hambling for Forbes. Continue reading original article.
The Intelligent Aerospace take:
June 12, 2020 -Hambling notes in his piece that each MQ-9 reaper cost taxpayers $14 million each while that figure has now more than doubled to $32 million apiece, which the writer notes is higher than an Apache attack helicopter. Early UAVs were considered expendable and were relatively low-tech, but have, over the years, been upgraded with cutting-edge technology. The Air Force has put out a request for information for a unmanned system they can once again afford to lose.
Related: General Atomics to upgrade MQ-9 Reaper UAVs with new data multiplexers, avionics control
Related: Air Force orders eight MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 Reaper attack drones from General Atomics
Jamie Whitney, Associate Editor
Intelligent Aerospace