The MQ-9A Reaper production line is closed and would take General Atomics two to three years to restart, according to a Congressional Research Service report as the Air Force ramps up its successor timeline amid inventory loss.
The service’s Reaper inventory has decreased by more than half from fiscal year 2022 to around 135 aircraft in mid-May this year as the U.S. scaled operations against Iran in Epic Fury. While legislation on the future of the aircraft and its potential replacement has been proposed, Congress must weigh certain questions regarding cost, fleet size and operational capability ahead of approving budget requests.
As of this May, the force has maintained 56 combat lines, meaning continuous coverage of a geographic area, with a portion of them being flown by the Air National Guard, the report says. Officials told CRS that 12 Air National Guard units in 11 states still operated the Reaper by mid-2026, with most occurring in remote locations.
Recently, a service official stated in congressional testimony that the force could meet all 56 combat lines worldwide despite the largely diminished inventory of 135 aircraft.
The Air Force has used the Reaper extensively in Operation Epic Fury, with the Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach calling the aircraft the mission’s “most valuable player.”
While the service has not officially revealed how many Reapers have been lost in the operations against Iran, the report highlights an August Washington Post analysis that claims the force lost 45 aircraft.
The service is looking to replace the Reapers through its Massed Modular Aircraft, or MMA, program — eyeing drones that could carry out the same missions as a Reaper at a lower cost. Reapers have a unit cost between $30 million to $50 million, while alternatives could cost an estimated amount of $10 million per unit.
The Air Force plans to select up to four companies to develop prototypes and expects to request fiscal 2028 procurement funds, with a goal of having 500 in service by 2032.
As the service looks to replace the Reapers, members of Congress have expressed concern over its inventory decline and have proposed legislation to halt further divestment of the aircraft.
In the Department of Defense’s fiscal 2027 budget request, $766.2 million was allotted for procurement, development, test and evaluation funding for the Reaper, but the Air Force did not request funding for new aircraft or for the MMA program, the report says.
In the June supplemental funding request, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth indicated that a portion of the funds would be used on MQ-9 platforms but did not detail how much.
Congress has always reserved the right to weigh in on the Air Force’s fleet structure. Now, as proposed defense and appropriation legislation is being considered to prohibit the Reaper’s retirement until a credible replacement has achieved operational capability, lawmakers must consider potential issues relating to the aircraft and its successor.
The report notes that Congress can consider what options the Air Force has explored for performing Reaper missions with other military assets if the number of aircraft cannot meet operational requirements.
Congress can also examine how the reduction of aircraft has impacted training and staffing in the service for Reaper units and how a transition to an MMA could affect the units as well.
It can also judge the risks of cost growth, schedule delays or technical challenges of the MMA proposal and whether the industrial base has the ability to produce the desired MMAs at the anticipated rate.
Cristina Stassis is a reporter covering stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military/veteran affairs and more. She previously worked as an editorial fellow for Defense News in 2024 where she assisted the newsroom in breaking news across Sightline Media Group.
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