Military and Strategic Journal
Issued by the Directorate of Morale Guidance at the General Command of the Armed Forces
United Arab Emirates
Founded in August 1971

2021-01-03

Spain Receives GA-ASI’s Final MQ-9A Block 5 RPA

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) recently delivered the final two MQ-9A Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and a Ground Control Station (GCS) to the Spanish Air Force (SpAF), completing a Foreign Military Sales acquisition of four aircraft and three GCSs. The new MQ-9s will be operated by the 233rd Squadron at Talavera la Real Air Base near Badajoz, Spain.
 
The final delivery was preceded by acceptance test procedures (ATP) completed at GA-ASI's Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility near Palmdale, California on September 29, 2020.
 
The successful ATPs, in conjunction with the integration of System 1 by the SpAF in Badajoz, resulted in Spain’s issuance of an Airworthiness Military Type Certificate for the aircraft, which is the first time this has been done for the MQ-9A Block 5. This measure certifies that the entire system, including the maintenance, is safe for personnel in the air and on the ground. It is also a key hurdle to clear to operate in national airspace.
 
Spain’s programme represents the first MQ-9A Block 5 acquisition by an international partner. Other milestones for the programme have included the SpAF taking initial delivery of its MQ-9A Block 5 aircraft at the end of 2019 and launching its first flight in January 2020.
 

Add Comment

Your comment was successfully added!

Visitors Comments

No Comments

Related Topics

Ministry of Defence Under-Secretary receives Special Secretary for Strategic Affairs of Brazil

Read More

Mohammed bin Rashid visits IDEX 2021 and NAVDEX

Read More

Judges Announced for MBZIRC Maritime Grand Challenge Semi-Finals

Read More

EDGE Expands its Portfolio with Acquisition of Leading Cybersecurity Company, OryxLabs

Read More

Hamdan bin Zayed attends 22nd edition of Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Naval College

Read More

KONGSBERG to Supply Air-to-air Pylons for F-35 Programme

Read More
Close

2024-04-02 Current issue
Pervious issues
2017-05-13
2014-03-16
2012-01-01
2014-01-01
2021-06-01
2021-02-21
2022-06-01
2021-09-15
.

Voting

?What about new design for our website

  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
Voting Number 1647