USAF Wants “MQ-9 Next” Reaper Replacement To Be Modular, Cheap
Summary
The U.S. Air Force is in the early stages of developing requirements for a next-generation replacement to the MQ-9 Reaper drone, referred to as "MQ-9 Next" by Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Lamontagne, with modularity and cost-effectiveness identified as central design priorities. Lamontagne envisions a platform with interchangeable hardware components for ISR sensors, weapons, and fuel, combined with open-source, military-owned software that can be rapidly updated — analogous to installing apps on a smartphone — giving the Air Force greater operational flexibility and independence from single vendors. The push for greater software ownership and open architecture aligns with a broader Department of Defense strategy to avoid vendor lock-in, encourage competitive contracting, diversify supply chains, and enable faster capability upgrades. The replacement drone is also intended to be sufficiently low-cost to be deployed in an "attritable" manner, meaning it can be risked in high-threat environments and produced in large quantities to absorb expected losses in potential high-intensity conflicts, particularly against peer adversaries in contested environments. While previous Reaper replacement concepts emphasized stealth and low observability, current thinking appears to prioritize affordability and mass production, though some low-observable features may still be incorporated into the final design.
Key Takeaways
- 1. Modularity in both hardware and software is the defining requirement for the MQ-9 Next program, enabling rapid reconfiguration for ISR, strike, or combined mission roles
- 2. The Air Force wants to own and control the drone's software, allowing quick updates and preventing costly dependency on a single defense contractor
- 3. The successor drone must be low-cost enough to be considered "attritable," allowing deployment in high-risk, contested environments while remaining operationally effective
- 4. Combat losses of MQ-9s in recent conflicts with Iran have accelerated the urgency for a more survivable, expendable, and cost-efficient replacement platform
- 5. Requirements for MQ-9 Next remain less defined than the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, with early-stage development work still ongoing