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2023-12-10

GA-ASI Partners With EDGE To Integrate Smart Weapons Onto MQ-9B

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems, radars, electro-optics, and related mission systems, and EDGE, a world-leading advanced technology group for defence and beyond, has joined hands to integrate EDGE smart weapons onto GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPA.

The partnership marks the first time that UAE-made smart weapons will be integrated onto a U.S. unmanned platform, signalling a new chapter in U.S.-UAE defence cooperation, and opening the door to further collaboration.

Under the agreement announced at the Dubai Airshow 2023, the two companies will work together to integrate precision-guided munition (PGM) and guided-glide weapon (GGW) solutions from EDGE onto GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian.

“We’re excited to work with EDGE on this initiative,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “Integrating home-grown capabilities onto our customer platforms is something we’ve done a lot, but we’ve never before integrated a non-NATO weapon system onto one of our RPA platforms.”

Hamad Al Marar, President of EDGE Group’s Missiles & Weapons cluster, said, “We are proud to be working with General Atomics Aeronautical. The opportunity to integrate our smart weapons on the MQ-9B SkyGuardian will offer the end user multiple dynamic, highly accurate, and cost-effective ground strike solutions. We look forward to working closely with General Atomics Aeronautical on this programme and to enhancing our collaboration in the future.”

The EDGE smart weapons designated for integration include the DESERT STING family of GGWs and THUNDER family of cost-effective PGMs from HALCON, and the AL TARIQ family of modular, mission-proven, all-weather day/night long-range PGMs.

GA-ASI hopes that its work with EDGE will lead to more partnerships within the UAE defence industry in order to integrate domestically developed sensors and weapons onto the MQ-9B for the UAE and other customers.

The UAE Armed Forces are working with GA-ASI and the U.S. Department of Defense to acquire the MQ-9B.

New MQ-9B Models Add Over 3,000 Hours

GA-ASI had announced in July that its Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), which includes the Predator, Reaper, Gray Eagle, Avenger and MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian lines, has surpassed eight million flight hours. GA-ASI aircraft have completed 566,000 total missions in nearly 40 countries around the world.

Adding to the total are 13 MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian UAS that have flown more than 3,000 flight hours, including the new Protector RG Mk1 being delivered to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. The first three Protectors are currently going through Integrated Test, Evaluation and Acceptance trials. In addition, MQ-9Bs are being operated by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), as well as supporting various U.S. Navy exercises.

“GA-ASI continues to be a leader in developing reliable, cost-efficient, and sustainable unmanned aircraft systems that perform advanced operations for our customers around the world,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden P. Blue. “Eight million flight hours is another achievement on our list of historic firsts, which demonstrates our relentless commitment to quality.”

The exact aircraft and customer that achieved the milestone is unknown, as it’s estimated that 70 Predator-class, Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) RPA are airborne worldwide every moment of every day.

GA-ASI aircraft average 40,000 hours per month supporting programmes with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, NASA, the Italian Air Force, the UK Royal Air Force, the French Air Force, the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, the Spanish Air Force, the Royal Netherlands Air Force, the Indian Navy, the Polish Air Force, JCG, JMSDF and others, with more customers coming online soon.

Missions include helping protect ground units on the battlefield; supporting first responders in the wake of natural disasters; and providing critical ISR around the world. These aircraft systems continue to maintain some of the highest mission capable rates in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army aircraft inventories.

GA-ASI has produced more than 1,000 aircraft and nearly 500 Ground Control Stations (GCS) in more than three decades of business. GA-ASI has also developed a Detect and Avoid (DAA) system to facilitate the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems into civil airspace in addition to combat environments.

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