September drone digest: attrition-tolerant aircraft pitched to replace the Reaper
GA-ASI conceived Wildfire as a low-cost and attrition-tolerant aircraft. (Photo: General Atomics)
The loss of many MQ-9 Reapers during the 2026 Iran War has underscored the risks of sending relatively expensive UAVs into contested airspace. In September, new contenders to replace the Reaper emerged, championing cheaper, modular aircraft designs for mass production and inevitable attrition.
On 10 September 2026, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) unveiled Wildfire, the company’s contender for the Massed Modular Aircraft (MMA) programme. The MMA is a US Air Force (USAF) competition intended to find a cost-effective medium- and long-term replacement for the force’s MQ-9 Reaper, which, as the programme’s name suggests, would be modular with the ability to be deployed in mass.
Upon unveiling Wildfire, GA-ASI directly addressed some of these aspects, with company president David R Alexander noting that the design is for “cost-conscious customers”. He added that the “attrition-tolerant Wildfire” possessed “lower-cost components, tailored capabilities and reimagined modularity”.
These features mean that, in battlefield
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Leonardo details Proteus’s path to autonomous anti-submarine missions for the Royal Navy]()
Leonardo details Proteus’s path to autonomous anti-submarine missions for the Royal Navy
Leonardo’s integration of Shield AI’s Hivemind software could enable its Proteus uncrewed helicopter to conduct independent anti-submarine warfare missions, supporting the Royal Navy’s plans for a future hybrid air wing.
-
![European funding and NATO interoperability could shape Polish helicopter plans]()
European funding and NATO interoperability could shape Polish helicopter plans
Poland is seeking to update its transport helicopters as part of a wider military aviation modernisation programme, with EU funding requirements and NATO interoperability key considerations.
-
![Saab’s flight-tested AI agents signal new era of crewed-uncrewed fighter systems]()
Saab’s flight-tested AI agents signal new era of crewed-uncrewed fighter systems
Saab is developing artificial intelligence (AI) agents for crewed and uncrewed aircraft, targeting potential operational deployment within months, while expanding its training capabilities, partnerships and ambitions for wider military applications.
