Airworthy, Durable Attachment Provides Interoperable Carrying Option for Sovereign ISR Suites

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has flown the latest spec of their NATO Pod, evaluating the package at the Yuma proving grounds Arizona.

The NATO Pod is a joint project between General Atomics and manufactured by Sener Aeroespacial in Spain.

Development was driven by General Atomics in the hopes that the pod would open up new markets for their MQ-9 series, giving international customers a flexible, scalable, certifiable enclosure with the structural features to host wide-ranging mission systems. The pod meets both DEF STAN and STANAG certification standards for airworthiness, which includes protection from lighting strikes and sufficient durability to weather bird impacts at speed. 

What sensors ultimately end up in the pod will vary depending on the customer and manufacturer, but initial releases should be expected from Sener and associated European suppliers. Their sensor integrations will provide ISR with the peace of mind found only with domestically-produced equipment.

“This is a truly momentous product design and implementation effort,” said GA-ASI Vice President of Mission Payloads and Exploitation, Satish Krishnan. “We’ve worked closely with Sener to meet requirements and keep our combined teams in sync to achieve this great outcome. Our successful test flight allows us to begin marketing this new capability to our international partner nations as a way to rapidly add sovereign payload capability.”

“This first flight is the fruit of a long collaboration between GA-ASI and Sener and we are proud to have contributed to the success of the project," said Rafael Orbe, director at Sener Aeroespacial. "We look forward to continuing the good work together, which we are sure will bring us more successes in the future.”

FMI: www.ga-asi.com