News & Media

2023 Press Releases

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    Government of Canada Orders the MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPAS from GA-ASI

    The Government of Canada has signed a contract to purchase a fleet of MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). The order includes the associated Certified Ground Control Stations and support equipment from GA-ASI. The first delivery is expected in 2028.

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    Italian Air Force Flies New MQ-9A Block 5 RPA from GA-ASI

    On Nov. 9, 2023, the Italian Air Force (ItAF) made its first flight of a new MQ-9A Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). The new RPA was delivered to the ItAF, along with a new Mobile Ground Control Station (MGCS), as part of a Mid-Life Modernization (MLM) update to the ItAF fleet of RPAs from GA-ASI.

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    GA-ASI and USMC Complete First MQ-9A WTI Training Class

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) teamed up to conduct flight training for Marines that was completed on Oct. 29, 2023. The seven-week course on the operation of MQ-9A Block 5 Unmanned Aircraft System was given to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona.

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    GA-ASI Demonstrates Short Takeoff/Landing of UAS on UK Carrier

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) conducted a first-of-its-kind demonstration of its short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability on the HMS Prince of Wales, a Royal Navy aircraft carrier, using the Mojave Unmanned Aircraft System.

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    GA-ASI Partners with EDGE to Integrate Smart Weapons onto MQ-9B

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems, radars, electro-optics, and related mission systems, and EDGE, a world-leading advanced technology group for defence and beyond, announced an agreement today to integrate EDGE smart weapons onto GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian® RPA.

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    Huneed Technologies Signs MOU to Supply Flat Panel Array to GA-ASI

    During a ceremony at ADEX (Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition) on Oct. 18, 2023, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Huneed Technologies for the Korean company to produce a flat panel array for GA-ASI’s Lynx® and EagleEye Multi-mode Radar systems.

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    ROKADI to Supply Fuel Interface Rings to GA-ASI

    Republic of Korea-based ROKADI has signed a Purchase Order to supply General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) with fuel interface rings for GA-ASI’s new MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian® Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

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    GA-ASI Advances Aerial Recovery for SUAS and ALE

    “Integrating air-launched UAS from Group 5 unmanned aircraft is possible, in part, thanks to advances in relative navigation technology, complex towline analysis, and multi-aircraft control being pioneered by GA-ASI,” said Mike Atwood, Vice President of Advanced Programs at GA-ASI.

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    2nd Special Operations Squadron Awarded RPA Squadron of the Year

    The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) presented the 2022 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Squadron of the Year Award to the 2nd Special Operations Squadron (SOS) at a special ceremony at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference on Sept. 11, 2023.

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    GA-ASI to be Inducted into the International Air and Space Hall of Fame

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) will be inducted into International Air & Space Hall of Fame during an event at the San Diego Air & Space Museum on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.

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    Neal and Linden S. Blue Receive Alison Award from AFA

    During a special event at the 2023 Air, Space & Cyber Conference at National Harbor, Maryland today, the Air Force Association (AFA) presented General Atomics’ Chairman and CEO Neal Blue and Linden S. Blue with the John R. Alison Award.

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    GA-ASI Poised to Begin LongShot Flight Testing Phase

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is poised to begin the flight-testing phase on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) LongShot program.

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    Netherlands Increases Order of MQ-9A from GA-ASI

    The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) will double the number of MQ-9A Remotely Piloted Aircraft they will procure, taking the total order from four to eight aircraft. The first four MQ-9A Block 5 Reapers and associated Ground Control Stations were delivered to the RNLAF in 2022.

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    GA-ASI Opens New Hangar at FTTC in Grand Forks, ND

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) hosted a grand opening event on August 9, 2023 to mark the opening of its newest hangar at the Grand Sky Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Business Park near Grand Forks, North Dakota.

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    GA-ASI Advances Ecosystem for Autonomously Operational UCAV

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) advanced its ability to operationalize the Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) ecosystem by combining advanced autonomy and government-provided human-machine interface (HMI) hardware.

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    GA-ASI Mojave STOL UAS Completes First Dirt Operation

    On August 1, 2023, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) completed multiple successful takeoffs and landings with its Mojave Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) on a dirt strip near El Mirage, Calif.

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    USMC Completes 20,000 Flight Hours with MUX MALE MQ-9A

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) congratulates the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) on achieving a significant milestone of surpassing 20,000 flight hours with their Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) Medium-Altitude, High-Endurance (MALE) MQ-9A Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

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    USAF Flies with Angry Kitten Jamming Pod

    The U.S. Air Force flew a remotely piloted aircraft equipped with an Angry Kitten® ALQ-167 Electronic Warfare Countermeasure Pod for the first time on April 27, 2023. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. integrated the pod onto the aircraft.

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    GA-ASI's Unmanned Aircraft Cross 8 Million Flight Hours

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) today announced that its family of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), which includes the Predator®, Reaper, Gray Eagle, Avenger®, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian® lines, has surpassed eight million flight hours.

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    GA-ASI, CAL FIRE and CA ANG Complete Flight Demo of REAP Pod on MQ-9A

    In collaboration with the California Air National Guard (CA ANG), National Guard Bureau (NGB), AT&T FirstNet, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES), and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

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    GA-ASI Selects ScioTeq to Support Detect and Avoid Program

    As General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) continues towards its development goal of earning Technical Standard Order (TSO) authorization from the FAA for its internally developed Detect and Avoid (DAA) system, the company has selected Belgium-based ScioTeq to supply a certified processor and display for its DAA solution.

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    GA-ASI Performs First Flight of New Heavy Fuel Engine for Gray Eagle ER

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) conducted the first flight of its new 200-horsepower heavy fuel engine on a Gray Eagle aircraft at its El Mirage flight facility on May 9, 2023.

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    3 GA-ASI Engineers Win Awards from AIAA

    Three senior engineers from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) were honored with awards from the San Diego section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in the areas of outstanding aerospace engineering and engineering management.

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    GA-ASI SeaGuardian Supports Northern Edge 2023

    As part of a U.S. Navy contract, an MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Unmanned Aircraft System from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) supported the NORTHERN EDGE 2023 (NE23) exercise May 8-19, 2023.

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    Upgraded Gray Eagle Extended Range UAS Featured in Demo

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is supporting a demonstration that began in March and is featuring two U.S. Army-owned Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

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    SeaGuardian Used by USN in Support of Integrated Battle Problem

    In support of the U.S. Navy’s (USN) Integrated Battle Problem 2023 (IBP-23) exercise in May, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) conducted a series of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) exercises cooperatively with the USN Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons (HSM) 38, 49, 71, and 75.

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    GA-ASI Delivers First New-Build MQ-9A to USMC

    Following delivery of the first two MQ-9A Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) that were procured upon the successful completion of a Company-Owned Company-Operated (COCO) Deployment Contract, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) are celebrating the delivery of the first new-build MQ-9A Extended Range (ER) UAS to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on April 19, 2023.

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    Protector Training for First RAF Cohort Begins at GA-ASI's FTTC

    On May 1, 2023, the Royal Air Force (RAF) began training its first cohort of pilots, sensor operators, and mission intelligence coordinators on operating its new Protector Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) at the Flight Test & Training Center (FTTC) in Grand Forks, N.D. The FTTC is owned and operated by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

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    GA-ASI Announces FY23 Congressional Funding of Gray Eagle 25M for Army National Guard Units

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announces that the Army National Guard (ARNG) has received fiscal year 2023 Congressional funding for 12 new Gray Eagle 25M (GE-25M) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

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    MQ-9B SeaGuardian Featured in US Navy Group Sail Exercise

    The U.S. Navy’s Group Sail Exercise, held over a six-day period in Hawaiian military operating areas, featured one of the world’s most advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) — the MQ-9B SeaGuardian® supplied by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

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    GA-ASI Flies MQ-20 Avenger Autonomously Using LEO SATCOM Datalink

    On April 6, 2023, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) conducted live, tactical, air combat maneuvers using Artificial Intelligence (AI) pilots to control a company-owned MQ-20 Avenger® Unmanned Aircraft System.

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    USMC Use GA-ASI MQ-9A for Training Exercise

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is working with the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) on a series of Service-Level Training Exercises (SLTE) using a company-owned MQ-9A Unmanned Aircraft System to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Training Command (MAGTFTC).

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    AFSOC Selects MQ-9B SkyGuardian for UAS Family of Systems Concept

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. is proud to announce a new contract with U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) to provide three MQ-9B SkyGuardian® remotely piloted aircraft systems to its first U.S. customer.

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    GA-ASI Continues LongShot Support

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is pleased to continue supporting the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) LongShot program.

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    GA-ASI Signs New Memorandum of Understanding with Conflux

    In an effort to further advance its Additive Manufacturing capability, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has established a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with its longtime partner Conflux Technology.

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    GA-ASI Announces Reimagined Blue Magic Belgium for 2023

    This year’s event will grow to include more companies and a broader base of technologies that will vie for capital investment. Joining GA-ASI this year will be Lockheed Martin Ventures and Belgium-based technology facilitator A6K.

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    GA-ASI Establishes New Collaboration Agreement with Leidos in Australia

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Leidos have agreed to continue the successful business relationship previously held between GA-ASI and Cobham Australia. With Leidos’ acquisition of the Cobham Special Mission business in October 2022, Leidos has now assumed the role of GA-ASI’s primary Australian industry collaborator for defence and security business.

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    GA-ASI Selected for Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force MALE RPAS Project

    “We’re pleased to support the JMSDF’s trial operation with our SeaGuardian UAS,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “We know there is a need in Japan and worldwide for affordable long-endurance airborne surveillance in the maritime domain.”

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    GA-ASI Performs Cold Weather Validation Using MQ-9B SkyGuardian

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) successfully performed Cold Weather Validation (CWV) using a company-owned MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in late Jan./early Feb. 2023, adding to the cold weather experience of the MQ-9 family of systems.

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    GA-ASI Partners with Divergent Technologies, Inc.

    GA-ASI is partnering with Divergent Technologies, Inc. (Divergent) to support its Additive Manufacturing applications development efforts and implement a full digital manufacturing process for GA-ASI’s products.

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    HAL Will Provide MRO Support for GA-ASI MQ-9B Turbo-Prop Engines

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have jointly announced that turbo-propeller engines, which power GA-ASI’s state-of-art MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), will be supported by the HAL Engine Division at Bengaluru for the Indian market.

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    US Embassy in India Visits Indian Navy Station Operating Leased MQ-9

    The Indian Navy has been operating General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) manufactured MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) under lease for over two years.

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    GA-ASI Flight Tests LEO SATCOM on MQ-9A

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the Air National Guard (ANG), with joint support from the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and U.S. Air Force (USAF), flight tested an MQ-9A remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) equipped with a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications (SATCOM) Command and Control system

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    GA-ASI Selected to Build OBSS for AFRL

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) will manufacture and perform demonstration flights of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) unmanned Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) aircraft. Following a 12-month base period that culminated in a critical design review (CDR), AFRL exercised a build and flight test option.

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    GA-ASI Selected by DARPA to Support Liberty Lifter Program

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) was awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the development of an aircraft capable of sustained seaborne strategic and tactical lift.

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    Statement from GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue on Ukraine conflict

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is dedicated to providing information dominance to its partners. From the outset of the Russian invasion, we began looking for options to respond to the requests of Ukrainian forces with our products, including the MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1C Gray Eagle.

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    GA-ASI's Eaglet Takes Its First Flight

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew a new survivable Air-Launched Effect (ALE) for the first time as part of a flight demonstration based out of the Dugway Proving Grounds, Utah, on Dec. 8, 2022.

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    GA-ASI Flies Multiple Missions Using Artificially Intelligent Pilots

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) further advanced its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) ecosystem by flying three unique missions with artificially intelligent (AI) pilots on an operationally relevant Open Mission System (OMS) software stack.

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    GA-ASI Flies First M2DO MQ-9A Aircraft

    On Nov. 10, 2022, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew the first production MQ-9A Multi-Domain Operations (M2DO)-ready variant of the U.S. Air Force MQ-9A Reaper.

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    GA-ASI Announces Strategic Partnership with Bharat Forge to Manufacture Aerostructures

    In a major move to boost manufacturing in India, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Bharat Forge Limited, India have announced a partnership to manufacture main landing gear components, subassemblies, and assemblies of remotely piloted aircraft.