Given the newly announced reduction in Reaper production rates, the elements that Reaper uses but charged to other programs (summarized in Part 1) and the statement that some additional ground control stations may be bought, the $120.8 million unit cost is an underestimate however, the data are unavailable to know by how much. The actual cost for a Reaper unit is $120.8 million in 2012 dollars. This issue is discussed more in later parts of this series.) (Given the infrequency at which Reaper flies in comparison to typical combat aircraft, the four Reaper calculation is apt for comparing to manned aircraft. In contemporary 2012 dollars that comes to $12.1 billion, which calculates to $30.2 million for each individual Reaper and its share of ground equipment, or $120.8 million for a complete, operable CAP of four. The latest SAR available (from December 2010) shows a cost of $11.3 billion (in 2008 dollars) for the then-planned total purchase of 399 individual Reaper air vehicles and associated ground equipment. It does not include development and other costs that are included in DOD’s summary Selected Acquisition Reports (SARs). But even that Air Force fact sheet calculation is incomplete. Accordingly, the Air Force factsheet for Reaper cites a unit cost not for one air vehicle but for a Reaper CAP (“four aircraft with sensors”) at $53.5 million in FY 2006 dollars (which would be $60.3 million in 2012 dollars). the specified Reaper operating unit), consists of four air vehicles, not one. They are quite incorrect.īecause they are integral to Reaper’s ability to operate, the ground components for it must be included, and a Combat Air Patrol, or “CAP” (i.e.

Various media reports cite a per-unit cost from $4 million to $5 million. Because of Reaper’s nature, unit-cost estimates can be tricky.

Reaper drone