General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA ASI), has disclosed that it is flying a new generation of Predator UAV. On October 17, the first pre-production version of the Predator B flew from the company's flight operations facility in California. Predator B is being manufactured for quick transit, long endurance flights in support of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and weapons delivery missions.

The pre-production Predator B incorporates a wider fuselage to house additional fuel, enabling it to fly for over 30 hours while carrying over 3,000 lbs of external and 800 lbs of internal payloads for a total gross take-off weight of 10,000 lbs. Predator B, capable of operations above 50,000 ft, incorporates a Honeywell turbo-prop engine, larger sensor package and increased wingspan over that of the MQ-1 Predator.

As an extension of this program, the company has also invested in the development of Predator B's sister aircraft, the ALTAIR and Predator B-Extended Range. These aircraft incorporate common avionics and mechanical systems with an increased wingspan for flights above 50,000, and in the case of Predator B-ER, for an increased endurance to 49 hours. All Predator B series aircraft will have triple redundant avionics and dual mechanical control systems to meet requirements for flight in National Air Space.

FMI: www.gat.com/asi