After recording heavy losses against Iran, the American army plans to replace its MQ-9 Reaper drone. The US Air Force has approved the specifications for a new aircraft intended to replace the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) model.
“We believe there is an opportunity to leverage modern manufacturing technologies to achieve a product that is more flexible, more open-architecture, easier to produce in large quantities, and ultimately could be used in a more sustainable manner,” said Major General Christopher J. Niemi, acting director of Air Force Futures, during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, and quoted by Aviation Week.
A wide field of missions
The MQ-9 Reaper drone has long embodied American military power. Used in Afghanistan or Iraq, this MALE (medium altitude long endurance) drone is equipped with onboard sensors and a synthetic radar in particular.
Primarily used for information gathering and for strikes against moving targets, the Reaper is a strategic tool. Thanks to its long autonomy, its advanced sensors, its multi-mode communication and its armament, it is used in the reconnaissance, coordination and attack of targets, summarizes US Air Force on its site.
It also performs a wide range of tasks such as close air support, combat search and rescue, mine detection, and air guidance, making it particularly effective in supporting “irregular” warfare operations.
Un coût trop élevé
Recent operations in the Middle East have, however, revealed its weaknesses: its cost and its vulnerability. “The reconnaissance and strike drone proved to be an easy target for an adversary whose air defense capabilities were far from exceptional,” underlines the specialist site Defense Express. Faced with a state that has modern radars, surface-to-air missiles and jamming systems, this relatively expensive drone becomes a vulnerable target.
With around twenty losses recorded, the bill is steep for the American army. At approximately more than $50 million per device depending on the configuration, the total amount of losses would be nearly a billion dollars. The US Air Force is now working on an alternative that would cost less, even if it means making technical compromises.
The new specifications were approved a month after the Air Force surveyed manufacturers. Among the characteristics considered for the replacement drone are a range of 1500 km and an autonomy of 20 hours. This new device should also be capable of carrying out 100 missions for a “moderate” acquisition cost.
