The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) is seeking a potential replacement for its MQ-9 Reaper drones to conduct long-range ISR missions.
AFRICOM officials said during a recent defense conference in Washington, DC, that the General Atomics aircraft is now being “legacy-ed out,” thus the need for a more modern aerial system.
They also highlighted the importance of having a long-endurance platform, which should be able to stay in the air “well beyond three days.”
The extended-range version of the MQ-9 Reaper has a flight endurance of 30 hours.
Changing Geopolitical Landscape
AFRICOM strategic capabilities division chief Fred Gregory said that the changing geopolitical landscape in the region has affected the command’s airborne ISR capabilities.
With its recent withdrawal from Niger, the command reportedly lost some of its key ISR bases in Africa, forcing it to fly from England and Somalia.
“This means we won’t have as much time on station or to react due to the distances,” Gregory explained. “We don’t have a lot of bases, so that’s a challenge as it relates to long dwell and endurance, as they (Reapers) are usually pretty big aircraft.”
Without a suitable replacement, Gregory warned that AFRICOM’s airborne ISR capabilities in the region will have eroded by 2026.
“We won’t have [any airborne] ISR access,” he stressed.
Funding in Place
Pentagon Undersecretary for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu said that funding and investments are already in place for long-endurance drones.
Without providing specific details, she revealed that the defense department already tested an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can loiter for “seven to eight days.”
The Pentagon has also reportedly been collaborating with the defense industry for solar-powered, stratospheric UAVs.
In July, the US Air Force announced that its ULTRA reconnaissance drone flew for three days straight during a recent trial.