Single Predator B RPA Amasses 20,000 Flight Hours | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-04.14.25

Airborne-NextGen-04.15.25

AirborneUnlimited-04.16.25

Airborne-AffordableFliers-04.17.25

SunnFun-DayFour-04.03.25

Mon, Jan 19, 2015

Single Predator B RPA Amasses 20,000 Flight Hours

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

Advertisement

More News

Airborne 04.18.25: Gulfstream G800 TC, Wingsuit Records, Bad Heli Mechanic

Also: Silver Airways Bankruptcy, China v Boeing, Intense HeliRescue, Boeing Potty $$$ Gulfstream Aerospace announced that its all-new Gulfstream G800 long range bizjet has received>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (04.19.25)

"We're excited to welcome Dave as Spirit's new President and CEO. He brings with him a wealth of experience and a solid track record of accomplishments from his many years in the a>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.19.25): Discrete Code

Discrete Code As used in the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS), any one of the 4096 selectable Mode 3/A aircraft transponder codes except those ending in zero zero; >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.19.25)

Aero Linx: The Museum of Flight The Museum of Flight is the largest independent, non-profit air and space museum in the world! With over 175 aircraft and spacecraft, tens of thousa>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (04.16.25)

"The FAA is taking this action in part because after the company’s director of operations voluntarily shut down flights, he was fired.... The review, known as a Certificate H>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC