[Telemakhos]

General Atomics no longer manufactures the MQ-9A, because they've moved on to the MQ-9B; but the US Air Force has been looking into replacing the whole program with a cheaper model that wouldn't hurt so much to lose. This just accelerates the transition already underway from higher-cost, complex UAVs to more expendable models.

[jst1fthsdys]

The military may want those cheaper models, but will the MIC give it to them?

[verdverm]

Perhaps not the US MIC, but the UA MIC is more than happy to

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ukraine-a...

They also have their own take on the reaper, unable to find the link today, search has become atrociously bad (over averaged on the wrong words)

[igetspam]

Not if the funding is blocked.