General Atomics Unveils Wildfire, Successor to MQ-9

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has published the first images of Wildfire, a clean-sheet uncrewed aircraft concept the company describes as a successor to its MQ-9 family. Announced on 10 September, the design focuses on lower cost, tailored capabilities, and reimagined modularity.

GA-ASI said the approach lets Wildfire be fielded quickly in large numbers, take risk in kinetic battlefield roles, and provide mass where other systems would be too expensive. A civil variant is also planned for commercial uses such as cargo delivery.

Renderings show Wildfire with a configuration similar to the MQ-9B: long tapered straight wings, a central tube fuselage, and a V-tail. The images suggest it could carry precision weapons including the Lockheed Martin Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile.

One rendering depicts a swarm of Wildfire aircraft launching missiles at enemy ships, indicating teaming capability. The aircraft will use autonomous flight technology developed for the US Air Force's FQ-42 collaborative combat aircraft program. GA-ASI, however, draws a clear distinction between Wildfire and that uncrewed fighter.