Milestone Achieved 33 Years After Company Started

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced that tracking of total flight hours across its fleet of unmanned aerial systems, including the recently added YFQ-42 CCA, or Collaborative Combat Aircraft, showed the company set a new record of 9 million flight hours since the company’s inception in 1992.

GA-ASI also noted that at any one time, as many as 50 of its aircraft are in flight supporting security for the U.S. and allied users around the world.

David R. Alexander, President of GA-ASI said, “What an amazing moment. Having spent so much time supporting the U.S. military and its allies around the world with our other aircraft, it seems fitting that flight testing our new unmanned fighter jet for the U.S. Air Force was what helped bring us past this milestone as we look ahead to a program that will change air dominance again.”

GA-ASI’s UAS line includes such well-known aircraft as the Predator, Reaper, Gray Eagle, Avenger, and the MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian. The RQ-1 Predator was its original designation in early deliveries in 1994 but was changed to MQ-1 Predator by the Air Force in 2002.

The other aircraft are designated the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, MQ-9A Reaper, and MQ-20 Avenger. In recent years, GA-ASI has been delivering more of its newer MQ-9B SkyGuardians and SeaGuardians. The MQ-9B is the world’s most advanced Remotely Piloted Aircraft System with exceptionally long range and endurance, automatic takeoff and landing under pole-to-pole satellite-only control, and can operate in uncontrolled, congested, and contested airspace using the company’s Detect and Avoid system.

GA-ASI has delivered its UAS products to Britain’s Royal Air Force, Belgain Air Force, and orders are in progress for Canada, Denmark, Poland, Japan, Taiwan, India, as well as the U.S Air Force and Navy.

FMI:  www.ga-asi.com/