iPad Gen 9 likely to receive iPadOs27?

Observable facts:

• The iPad (9th generation) originally shipped with iPadOS 15.0, and has received four major updates (16, 17, 18, 26) to date.
• It has only 3 GB of RAM. Several of the other iPads and iPad Airs that can run iPadOS 26 are in the same boat, but I believe that over in the iPhone world, only one iPhone model that has that little RAM can run iOS 26.

If you already have an iPad 9, you could wait until Apple announces iPadOS 27 next year, and then check to see if your iPad is on the compatibility list. If you do not have an iPad 9, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to buy one under the assumption that it will run iPadOS 27 and run it well. Even the iPad (A16), which does not have enough RAM to run Apple Intelligence, has 6 GB of RAM.

History demonstrates that Apple devices typically receive system software updates for five to seven years - latter years being restricted to "point" security updates. Apple does not pre-announce end of support.

All contributors here are all end-users, just like you. Beyond information publicly released by Apple, contributors have no knowledge or insight than past history with other devices might suggest.

I think it probably will, because Apple usually only axes one generation at a time, and since iOS 26 works on the iPad 8, iOS 27 will be the last version of iPadOS the 9th gen receives

As you guessed, no one here in this user to user, community forum can answer that question. And we are not allowed to speculate.

I think it probably will, because Apple usually only axes one generation at a time, and since iOS 26 works on the iPad 8, iOS 27 will be the last version of iPadOS the 9th gen receives