FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mar 11, 2005
San Diego, CA – 11 March 2005 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) recently completed their Systems Capability Demonstration at Fort Huachuca, AZ as part of Phase I of the U.S. Army Extended Range Multi-Purpose (ERMP) program. The Warrior Team, led by GA-ASI, with teammates AAI and SPARTA, completed all required flight test objectives in record time, flying a minimum number of hours to meet program objectives, due to the maturity of the two Warrior demonstrator aircraft that participated. One aircraft, equipped with a heavy fuel engine, flew the majority of the missions in order to demonstrate the maturity of this heavy fuel engine installation, an engine combination that meets a long standing Army requirement.
The Warrior demonstrator aircraft capitalized on the experience of over 120,000 Predator flight hours and extensive combat experience to meet the demands of the test objectives with ease. Warrior #1 seamlessly demonstrated the requirement to transition from line-of-sight data link to satellite link control for over-the-horizon control with a single aircraft, leveraging GA-ASI’s 12 year satellite control experience with Predator systems. This capability eliminates the burdensome and inefficient need to have two aircraft airborne, one with a data link relay to support the other mission airplane.
Aircraft availability to meet the demanding schedule was exceptional. The aircraft demonstrated automatic as well as pilot control landings. Most missions were flown from the AAI one-system ground control station required by the U.S. Army. One heavy weight mission was also flown with four hellfire missiles installed.
"Overall, this operation was extremely successful, thanks to the dedicated professionalism of our small support team and to the performance of our combat proven aircraft systems," said Thomas J. Cassidy, Jr., President and CEO of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
For more information contact:
Kimberly Kasitz
Public Relations Manager
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
+1.858.455.2294
kimberly.kasitz@uav.com