The French air force is purchasing three additional MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft to augment its existing fleet, French acquisition officials announced. France is looking to purchase 16 Reapers under a possible $1.2 billion foreign military sale requested in 2013, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The NATO ally currently operates a single combat air patrol of MQ-9s, primarily supporting combat operations in North and West Africa from Niamey, Niger. The Armée de l’Air plans to take delivery of a second CAP of three aircraft next year, and the most recent order will boost the fleet to nine MQ-9s, comprising three CAPs by 2019, according to France’s defense acquisition agency. Officials plan to purchase a fourth CAP in the near future, bringing the fleet to 12 aircraft, officials stated. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems delivered the third MQ-9 to the Armée de l’Air, completing its first CAP in June, UPI reported.
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.
