USAF Moves to Buy Fewer Than 10 Spare MQ-9s After $1 Billion in Combat Losses

3 articles · Updated · The War Zone · Jun 5

The Air Force said it has funding to start buying several unused MQ-9A Block 5 Reapers from General Atomics to replace drones lost in combat against Iran and in other Middle East operations.
General Atomics said the pool is extremely limited—fewer than 10 "new" MQ-9As are available worldwide—and the Air Force cannot draw from storage because the Boneyard has no MQ-9s.
Lt. Gen. David Tabor told Congress the service wants to buy back as many MQ-9As as possible this fiscal year after the fleet fell to 135 aircraft, down from 165 at the start of FY2026 and 231 at the start of FY2025.
Nearly 30 Reapers were reportedly lost in Operation Epic Fury against Iran by May, on top of dozens downed in missions against Iran-backed Houthis, with combined losses valued at about $1 billion.
The scramble underscores a near-term capability gap: the MQ-9A is out of production, MQ-9 Next is years away, and the Air Force is cannibalizing retired MQ-1 Predators for parts.

Sources

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The War Zone7h ago

USAF to Purchase Unused MQ-9 Reapers from General Atomics After Combat Losses

The War Zone1d ago

USAF Wants "MQ-9 Next" Reaper Replacement To Be Modular, Cheap

Yahoo! Voices7h ago

USAF Scrambling To Buy What Few MQ-9 Reapers It Can Find After Epic Fury Losses

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As expensive Reaper drones fall, is the U.S. military shifting to cheaper, disposable aircraft?

How are Iranian-backed forces so successful at shooting down America's premier combat drones?

Operation Epic Fury: 28% Drop in MQ-9 Reaper Readiness Spurs Urgent U.S. Air Force Shift to Attritable Drones

Overview

Operation Epic Fury has led to major losses for the U.S. military, with 42 aircraft—including 24 MQ-9A Reaper drones—lost or damaged in Iran. These losses have pushed the MQ-9 Reaper fleet 28% below its required operational level, exposing a serious vulnerability in the Air Force’s reliance on legacy unmanned systems against modern air defenses. With MQ-9A production halted since 2025 and only a handful of replacement parts available, the Air Force faces limited options for replenishment. This crisis is driving a strategic shift toward developing more resilient, cost-effective, and easily replaceable unmanned platforms for future operations.

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