Total GA-ASI Predator B Deliveries Nears 230

A Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper RPA has reached a record 20,000 flight hours on a single aircraft, signifying the highest flight time of any Predator B. The milestone was achieved while performing a 17-hour combat mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan on December 23.

“Accumulating 20,000 hours on a lone Predator B airframe is a major engineering milestone that can be traced back to our talented and resourceful GA-ASI Engineering team, who continues to develop highly resilient, reliable, and affordable platforms that continue to keep warfighters safe every day overseas,” said Linden P. Blue, CEO, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI).

The record-breaking aircraft flew its first flight on January 31, 2008 and has accumulated 1,355 flights, with almost 100-percent of those flights having been flown in direct support of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).

The multi-mission Predator B is a long-endurance, medium-high-altitude RPA that can be used for surveillance, military reconnaissance, and targeting missions. The current aircraft configuration features an extensive payload capacity (850 lb internally, 3,000 lb), with a maximum gross takeoff weight of 10,500 lb, is powered by a Honeywell turboprop engine, has a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet, and can stay aloft for up to 27 hours. The standard payload configuration includes a high-definition, optical Infrared (IR) video system and a high-resolution ground imaging radar (SAR). The radar also has Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) and Maritime Wide-area Search (MWAS) modes.

Predator B is currently operational with the U.S. Air Force, Royal Air Force, and French Air Force as MQ-9 Reaper, and with the Italian Air Force as MQ-9.

(Image provided by General Atomics)

FMI: www.ga.com