The Air Force won’t stop building “basic” MQ-1 Predators for a while, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley said. Moseley told reporters at AFA’s Air & Space Conference Monday that USAF will buy MQ-1s and their more powerful cousins, the MQ-9 Reapers, simultaneously. The basic Predators are needed to “flesh out” unmanned aircraft squadrons—especially Air Guard units—that have been waiting while units in US Central Command get priority. The aircraft are needed both to provide capability and get a larger training capability rolling.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.