High-quality intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance is essential for the United States and its allies – but gathering it can be dangerous work. In more than a dozen incidents around the world over the past two years, and many others before that, irresponsible pilots have threatened, harassed, damaged and, in some cases, destroyed American or allied ISR aircraft, often placing the pilots and air crews inside in extreme jeopardy.

There’s been a lot of talk about building a new generation of autonomous systems to help the U.S. and its allies preserve their advantage in airpower. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is leading the way. To understand how, consider the scale and nature of the challenge: Tomorrow’s Air Force needs large numbers of versatile, highly capable aircraft to scout ahead, share what they sense, take on tasks and act largely on their own.

As it ushers in the coming era of Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations, the Marines are turning to sophisticated unmanned aircraft to outmaneuver these threats. 

Unmanned aircraft have been revolutionizing intelligence, military, and so many other applications for years. Now their impact extends to the way navies operate at sea. Leading the way is the MQ-9B SeaGuardian®, which enables the most advanced navies, coast guard agencies, and other maritime authorities to patrol longer, detect more, and make existing units much more effective.

The vision of integrating unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, into airspace alongside traditional manned aircraft is rapidly becoming a reality. UAS play a pivotal role in accomplishing a wide array of critical tasks, and as our utilization of these systems increases, so does our proficiency in operating and handling them. However, to fully reap those benefits, it is imperative that UAS are granted authorization to fly in a civil airspace.

Environmental change and strategic competition are reshaping the Arctic. Traffic is increasing across newly accessible shipping lanes. Untapped natural resources are coming within reach. And tensions are mounting as Arctic and near-Arctic nations compete for commercial and military dominance.

The coming decades will bring unprecedented challenges to American sea power. The U.S. Navy and its allies have never faced a range of threats quite like those arrayed in opposition to peace and stability on the world’s oceans. That’s why Washington and its allies are rethinking the right mix for their own forces to meet the task.

Air control is a cornerstone of American and allied military power – but it can’t be taken for granted. An array of high-tech new aircraft and threats mean that the old ways of establishing and keeping air superiority will be increasingly challenged.

The number of American defense leaders gathering in Abu Dhabi for IDEX 2023 underscores the importance of the security relationship between the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

Why maritime domain awareness and maritime security are essential everywhere, including – and especially – on the high seas outside of nations’ territorial waters or economic zones.

The U.S. Army is the nation’s force for decisive action — which means it needs systems that give its soldiers a decided advantage on the battlefield.

The U.S. Air Force boasts the finest combat aircraft and pilots in the world, but even they are going to need help preserving air dominance in the coming decades.

Unmanned aircraft always have shown virtually limitless promise. Sometimes, though, people need to see to believe.

The first quarter of the 21st century has unfortunately proved one constant from the previous one: The world isn’t getting any safer. 

Dave Alexander is a longtime aerospace engineer and the president of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Under his leadership the company has strengthened its dominance in unmanned aerial systems across the world...

The MQ-9B SeaGuardian has changed the game in maritime domain awareness. It’s the first unmanned aerial system of its kind that can search the ocean surface and the depths in support of naval intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Remotely piloted aircraft have changed the way intelligence information is collected and disseminated for national security and in wartime environments, but not enough gets said about what they did for the monk seals.

In the cockpit of a fifth-generation fighter, somewhere high over the ocean, an Air Force pilot gets a heads-up: hostile fighters are airborne and closing.

American special operations troops don’t get to pick and choose where they’re deployed on some of the most difficult missions in the world. So they not only need the finest support -- they need it to be able to go anywhere.

Former Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) SH-60K Sensor Operator, Ms. Manami Ide (left), and former JMSDF EP-C Mission Commander, Mr. Toru Hamakubo (right), joined the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. 

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ earlier aircraft such as the MQ-1 Predator made their mark by constantly looking down.

For 16 years, Tim served as an Engineer Officer in the Royal Air Force, supporting fast jet combat aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the United Kingdom. 

GA-ASI has developed one game-changing SUAS known as Sparrowhawk, which an aircraft such as the MQ-9 can carry under its wing as it might a traditional payload like a sensor pod or a fuel tank.

It all starts with the MQ-9B SkyGuardian. That’s the newest and most capable member of an unmanned aircraft series built by San Diego-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

Each customer has unique needs, limitations and budgets, so the company’s Leasing and Services department operates with this mindset as its main driver.