General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.

General Atomics Aeronautical - LAC-12 Pod

Anti-Submarine Warfare System

Submarine Detection and Monitoring

The Sonobuoy Dispensing System (SDS) and Sonobuoy Monitoring and Control System (SMCS) enable the first self-contained sonobuoy dispensing and monitoring capability for remotely piloted aircraft. Combined with the MQ-9B SeaGuardian’s® industry-leading endurance, these anti-submarine warfare systems enable persistent submarine tracking while SeaGuardian simultaneously scans the ocean’s surface for suspicious marine traffic. This capability was first demonstrated during the U.S. Navy’s 2021 Integrated Battle Problem, where SeaGuardian successfully deployed sonobuoys and detected and tracked multiple underwater targets. Integrated onto SeaGuardian, SDS and SMCS empower naval forces to continuously guard crucial waterways, shipping lanes, and chokepoints against the ever-increasing threat of submarines while maintaining a reduced personnel and asset footprint.

Key Benefits

SDS carries and dispenses both “A”- and “G”- size sonobuoys
SMCS receives and processes acoustic signatures transmitted by sonobuoys deployed below the ocean’s surface
Acoustic processing software generates target tracks and calculates the speed, bearing, and depth
System leverages tactical data links

Mission Sets

Anti-submarine warfare
Chokepoint monitoring
Wide-area search
Area of denial

Specs

Dimensions: 156” x 42” x 30” | 396.2 cm x 106.7 cm x 76.2 cm
Weight: Empty: 275 lb | Full of Sonobuoys: Up to 794 lb

Sledgehammer

Features

Send UAS, not troops, into the danger zone

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.

GA-ASI's Avenger Leads The Way In Autonomy and AI

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.

MQ-9A: Helping the Marine Corps Transform Expeditionary Warfare

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

MQ-9B - A Growing Track Record of Performance in the Maritime Domain

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.

How GA-ASI Is Driving Airspace Integration for UAS

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.

ARCTIC SECURITY: How GA-ASI Is Closing the Gap With MQ-9B

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.

MQ-9B SeaGuardian: Ready Today for Peer Competition in the Maritime Domain

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.

Leading The Way In Autonomous Collaborative Aircraft

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.