This year, the US has faced a significant reduction in its MQ-9 multirole drones, with reports indicating that more than a quarter of these drones have been lost in Middle Eastern conflicts. In the first forty days of Operation "Epic Fury," 24 MQ-9s were lost, and in total, six months after the start of this operation, the number of casualties reached 45. This comes after significant losses were also incurred by these drones during Operation "Rough Rider" in 2025.
Military and Strategic Implications
The MQ-9 drones are recognized as vital tools in conducting military operations, and according to General Kenneth Wilsbach, the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, they are a "valuable player" in Operation "Epic Fury." Historically, these drones have been used to target key figures such as Qasem Soleimani and Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Air Force's plan to gradually phase out MQ-9s under current conditions could harm US military readiness.
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Need for Change in Operational Model
In response to the reduction in MQ-9 numbers, the US Air Force has adopted two strategies: purchasing existing systems and requesting the industry to produce cheaper alternatives. Specifically, in a Senate session, Air Force officials called for the design of the next generation of drones to be modular. But can this change solve the cost-exchange problem?
The modular model still concentrates several capabilities in one drone, which can become a point of failure. While the drone's airframe may be cheaper, its specialized equipment can carry a high cost. For this reason, the Air Force needs to divide the multirole model into various tasks and utilize new technologies that can perform these tasks more cost-effectively.
Developing specialized and independent models could help the Air Force shift the cost-exchange in its favor and also make the system easier to test and update. Ultimately, while the multirole model can still be useful, it may not perform adequately against adversaries with advanced technology.
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