Ongoing flight operations of the new YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft helped General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., set a new company record, pushing past a total of 9 million flight hours.
GA-ASI has been tracking total flight hours across its fleet of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) since the company’s inception 33 years ago. The company’s line of UAS includes the Predator®, Reaper®, Gray Eagle®, Avenger®, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian®
At any point in time, as many as 50 GA-ASI aircraft are in flight supporting global security for the U.S. and allied users worldwide. GA-ASI’s aircraft have been a mainstay for the United States, allies and partners since the first flight of what was then called the RQ-1 Predator on July 3, 1994.
The U.S. Air Force changed the designation to MQ-1 Predator in 2002. Other aircraft, including the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, MQ-9A Reaper, and MQ-20 Avenger, followed as GA-ASI drove forward the capabilities and employment of uncrewed aircraft.
More recently, GA-ASI has begun deliveries of their new MQ-9B SkyGuardians and SeaGuardians. MQ-9B is a highly advanced Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) system, delivering exceptionally long endurance and range—with automatic takeoff and landing under pole-to-pole satellite-only control—and will be able to operate in unsegregated airspace using the GA-ASI-developed ˘ʼ system.
GA-ASI has made deliveries to the U.K.’s Royal Air Force (Protector) and the Belgian Air Force, and the firm is fulfilling orders from Canada, Denmark, Poland, Japan, Taiwan, India, and the U.S. Air Force in support of the Special Operations Command.
MQ-9B has also supported various U.S. Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, and Group Sail. Meanwhile the company has been supporting the development of new aircraft and concepts of operation for the future of airpower.
GA-ASI built and flies the XQ-67A Off Board Sensing Station—its second uncrewed combat jet—for the U.S. Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). Just last month, GA-ASI announced the start of flight testing for its third, the new YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft. The new unmanned fighter jet has been designed and developed by GA-ASI and is built for rapid production, in large quantities, at an affordable price.
What an amazing moment,” said GA-ASI President, David R. Alexander. “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.”