General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.

General Atomics Aeronautical - LAC-12 Pod

Anti-Submarine Warfare System

Integrated Sonobuoy Dispensing and Monitoring

The Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) System combines GA-ASI’s Sonobuoy Dispensing System (SDS) pod with our state-of-the-art Sonobuoy Monitoring and Control System (SMCS), enabling a first-of-its-kind ASW capability on an unmanned aircraft. When combined with MQ-9B SeaGuardian’s® proven multi-domain sensors, the aircraft provides seamless coverage of the complete maritime environment, from the air to the surface, and now to the depths of the ocean. SeaGuardian with the GA-ASI ASW System enables persistent submarine tracking while simultaneously maintaining maritime battlespace awareness. SDS pods and SMCS empower naval forces operating SeaGuardian to continuously guard crucial waterways, shipping lanes, chokepoints, and allied forces against the ever-increasing threat of submarines—all with a significant reduction in personnel and equipment, and at greatly reduced cost and risk compared to manned alternatives.

Key Benefits

Each SDS pod can carry and dispense up to 10 A-size sonobuoys or up to 20 G-size sonobuoys
SMCS receives and processes acoustic signatures transmitted by sonobuoys
Acoustic processing software generates target tracks, calculating speed, course, and depth on an integrated intelligence station
MQ-9B leverages tactical data links for acoustic data dissemination

Mission Sets

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

Specs

SDS Pod Dimensions: 156" x 42" x 30" (396.2 cm x 106.7 cm x 76.2 cm)
Weight: 290 lb (132 kg) | Filled with sonobuoys: Up to 750 lb (340 kg)

Sledgehammer

Features

Mojave Proves Its Unmatched Versatility in Unprecedented Live-Fire Demo

The short takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft demonstrator, built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., already has set new milestones in getting airborne or returning to the surface.

MQ-9B: Securing Northern Europe

The peaceful nations of Northern Europe didn’t choose to rewrite their defense and security outlook for the coming decades. The decision was forced upon them by aggression in the east. Now that they’ve decided to act, however, they’re moving swiftly.

MQ-9B SeaGuardian®: Redefining Maritime Domain Operations

The MQ-9B SeaGuardian® unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is tailor-made to support the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and their allies and partners around the world against peer or near-peer forces.

GA-ASI Redefines Maritime Operations with Mojave

Making aviation history doesn’t happen overnight. Engineers and executives at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., were confident the short takeoff and landing demonstrator Mojave would launch from an aircraft carrier and then land back aboard the first time.

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.