US Air Force intends to replace MQ-9 Reaper with cheaper drone

The US Air Force is thinking about replacing the reconnaissance and strike drones MQ-9 Reaper due to their inability to overcome modern air defense systems. As a replacement, various versions of drones, including commercial ones, will be considered. About it writes the publication Defense News.

The US Air Force command is considering decommissioning the MQ-9 Reaper due to their vulnerability to modern air defense systems. Drone, which is more than 20 years the main drone US Air Force in the Middle East is planned to be replaced by a cheaper device.

The reaper was a great platform for us. Four million flight hours, simply undeniable superiority when hitting ground targets. However, it is not adapted for operation in a modern air defense system. They easily go astray

said Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of State for Procurement, Technology and Logistics, adding that the US Air Force is considering replacing the MQ-9 Reaper with cheaper reusable drones that are "not a pity to lose."

Note that the first flight of the drone MQ-9 Reaper took place on February 2, 2001. The drone is equipped with a turboprop engine. According to General Atomics, the Reaper, which has become the main strike UAV in the United States, has a flight duration of more than 27 hours, a maximum speed of up to 400 km / h and a cruising speed of up to 250 km / h, a ceiling of up to 15 km and a carrying capacity of 1740 kg with 6 suspension points.

The MQ-9 is equipped with a fault-tolerant flight control system and triple redundancy of the avionics system architecture. Able to carry Hellfire missiles with GOS and GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs, as well as GBU-38 satellite-guided bombs.

Intelligence and combat UAV MQ-9 are in service with the Air Force and the CIA, as well as the Air Force of Italy, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, France, the United Kingdom and other countries.

Comments

[rocket757]

All the same EXPENSIVE! Ai, ai, ai, sho winked then? For the sake of dermocracy all over the world nothing should be sorry !!!
Okay, jokes of humor aside ... in principle, a completely rational approach, in view of many, many crises and many where ... they have an inc.

[Sky strike fighter]

All the same EXPENSIVE! Ai, ai, ai, sho winked then?

Such times have come to save.
On March 15, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates to almost zero by launching a massive $ 700 billion quantitative easing program to protect the economy from the effects of coronavirus, CNBC reported.
Globally, competitive devaluation has begun - a situation in which countries compete with each other to achieve a low exchange rate for their national currency in order to increase export volumes and help domestic industry.

[g1washntwn]

Rationality is likely to reduce the Raptor’s chance of successfully completing a task, and not so much the cost of its implementation. In addition, the range of such tasks is not too large due to long-voiced limitations.
3D printer + AI elements + distribution of roles in the flock and we get a cheaper solution for these specific tasks. In principle, the anti-ship missiles proved the effectiveness of this approach long ago, it remains only to "finalize the file". The flock concept is on the rise.

[Sky strike fighter]

I think that the future is somewhere between a cheap kamikaze drones and RCC / KR. Such a massive and inexpensive hybrid that can be massively used as a swarm of drones.

[Sky strike fighter]

However, it is not adapted for operation in a modern air defense system. They easily go astray

Just like Anka-S and Bayraktar were knocked down in Syria. The main thing is to have this air defense system, but not at the beginning of the SAA attack without air defense cover, which the Turks used until they pulled Buki and Armor to Idlib and the dronopad started.

[universe1]

Any air defense system can be oversaturated with goals, and it would be better if these goals were cheap. A cloud of cheap kamikaze drones will cope with any air defense system, and after that more serious UAVs will come into play. Here, of course, they will talk about electronic warfare, but when the electronic warfare is working, its own air defense system will not be able to work.

[SVD68]

Quote: universe1

Any air defense system can be oversaturated with goals, and it would be better if these goals were cheap. A cloud of cheap kamikaze drones will cope with any air defense system, and after that more serious UAVs will come into play.

It’s still impossible to make a drone cheaper than a couple of dozen shots from an automatic gun.

[voyaka uh]

The guns do not reach the heights from which the drones attack.

[SVD68]

Quote: voyaka uh

The guns do not reach the heights from which the drones attack.

Cheap high altitude drones?

[universe1]

SVD68, you confuse the warm with the soft. What are the guns here for?

[SVD68]

Quote: universe1

SVD68, you confuse the warm with the soft. What are the guns here for?

Moreover, cheap drones cannot be either high-altitude or high-speed.

[voyaka uh]

The Turks did not introduce kamikaze drones and planning bombs into the Air Force - proven means against air defense.
These pieces are equipped with an electronic warfare unit as part of the GOS and confuse the radars of the complexes. It is easier for the carapace to shoot down a target flying over it than a target attacking itself and disorienting its radar.

[universe1]

So this introduction is a matter of time.

[Oquzyurd]

"These things are equipped with an electronic warfare unit as part of the GOS and confuse the radars of the complexes." This was the X factor in Idlib. No matter how much they talk about the drone attack, a negligible amount was shot down in comparison with the damage to the Syrians received from the UAV, given that all this was within 3-4 days ..

[Zabvo]

And what about the drone UAV ...?

[novel66]

no longer needed, like an aircraft carrier - the United States is refusing

[PSih2097]

Quote: ZABVO

And what about the drone UAV ...?

on trials "Altius", "Orion" and "Hunter".

[Sky strike fighter]

Quote: ZABVO

And what about the drone UAV ...?

Work is underway. A lot of effort is being made to complete the development of impact drones.

Tests of heavy drones "Altius-U", "Orion" and the C-70 "Okhotnik" jet drone are underway.

Of this set, the last three vehicles are capable of carrying weapons. "Altius-U" is a larger and heavier vehicle with a takeoff weight of about 6 tons and a payload of about 1 ton. The vehicle has two piston engines. The estimated duration of the patrol is 48 hours. The UAV's communication with the operator's console is carried out via satellite channels, due to which the range of the complex is practically unlimited. The heavy drone is capable of carrying optical, radio-technical or radar detection means. It is also planned to equip it with suspended missile or bomb weapons - for striking ground targets.

"Orions" - a whole range of standard sizes. These are machines weighing from 1 ton with a payload of about 200 kg, up to 2,5 and 5 tons.

Very little is known about the Hunter. Aviation Week magazine writes that the 20-ton S-70 can receive small-sized missiles. Their weight will be about 200 kg, and the size will not exceed 3 m. The model of such a product was shown at a meeting on the development of the fleet in January in Sevastopol to President Vladimir Putin. According to some reports, the vehicle will be able to carry up to 8 tons of combat load.

https://tass.ru/opinions/7990777

[universe1]

Nothing, just a movie. No mass production. It’s like with Armata.

[Sky strike fighter]

So you decide. Or nothing or not mass production. Because nothing is nothing, but the tests of the already created shock UAVs, which will go into the series only after the completion of state tests, but which already exist and are being tested, are two different things.

[Vasyan1971]

undeniable superiority in attacks on ground targets. However, it is not adapted for operation in a modern air defense system. They easily go astray

Oh, hold me seven until you roll off the couch! Indisputable superiority, but easy to get off! Oh, I can’t! Sorry for the rough writing!

[Avior]

relaxed in the States, stopped counting money in the military commissar, like we deserve better!
But it seems, and they realize that there is not enough money, even if you have a printing press
Fabulously expensive f-22 replaced by just expensive F-35 , here drones are trying to replace, next in line is an inexpensive frigate in addition to the expensive Arly Burke and the very expensive Zamvolt

[Cowbra]

due to their inability to overcome modern air defense systems

.... and cheaper ones will be able to overcome immediately We continue the evening of Petrosianism from the pentagonal sawmill ... And what is such a cheap, or even expensive drone capable of overcoming modern air defense systems? We are not talking about your Patriots - they, too, at the Sawmill are scattered from Homn and branches

[knn54]

The US Air Force is considering replacing the MQ-9 Reaper with cheaper reusable drones that "don't mind losing."
"The moral of this fable is ... that a group of hares extinguishes Leo."

[askort154]

Reconnaissance and combat UAVs MQ-9 are in service with the US Air Force and the CIA, as well as the Italian Air Force, Turkey, the UAE, Kazakhstan France, Great Britain and other countries.

Not a typo? I doubt that the United States sold the CSTO member. And why does he need Kazakhstan to monitor flocks of sheep, or smuggling from China?

[Zaurbek]

And when did you manage to buy Kazakhstan?

[Piramidon]

The drone, which has been the main drone of the US Air Force in the Middle East for more than 20 years, is planned to be replaced with a cheaper device.

They need to cooperate with Svidomo. Those know how to save.

[PSih2097]

US Air Force intends to replace MQ-9 Reaper with cheaper drone

At the moment, the Navy, together with the US Air Force, is pumping money into the XQ-58 and MQ-25 programs, which are by no means cheaper than the "Reaper" ...