MQ-9 FOLLOW-ON REAPER CAPABILITY ENHANCEMENT

The 'MQ-9 Follow-On Reaper Capability Enhancement' (FORCE) refers to a U.S. Air Force program under the Block 5 upgrade for the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial system, adding capabilities like Extended Range (ER), Stations 1 and 7 wiring for Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) operations, and Payload Multiplexer retrofits to 122 aircraft by FY 2024. A related $149.8 million contract (part of a $995M ceiling IDIQ awarded to Amentum in November 2025) supports modernization through RPA maintenance, deploying specialized personnel, weapons loading, and ground equipment globally to enhance combat readiness and training.