Predator A: 141.000 missions and more than 2.000.000 flight hours

Predator A did its first flight in July 1994 and its operational debut in 1995. Since then, more than 320 Predator A have been delivered to various customers in support of global security worldwide, and the product line remained in production until 2011.

The Predator A has flown about 141.000 missions and more than two million flight hours in total. More than 90 percent of those hours were flown supporting combat missions. Linden Blue, CEO of GA-ASI has said “With innovation in mind, we have always looked for ways to challenge the industry standard. Our Predator series has evolved over the past 25 years to become MQ-9 and Gray Eagle (MQ-1C), which are the world's most proven combat RPAs.”

GA-ASI won its first major award for the Predator A program in 1994 from the United States Office of Joint Programs, which was later transferred to the United States Air Force. In addition to the United States, Predator A was acquired by the Italian Ministry of Defense for the Italian Air Force, and later in a modernized version known as the Predator XP for the UAE (United Arab Emirates).

Predator A established the GA-ASI legacy of offering a long-lasting multi-mission UAV with integrated sensors and data link systems for persistent knowledge of the situation and fast attack capabilities. The Predator series continues to stand out in combat environments and in conducting civil surveillance missions. David R. Alexander, president of GA-ASI, said “We are proud of our long and distinguished history of support for the combatant. From Predator A to Predator B, Gray Eagle, Avenger® and their various mission configurations, our aircraft and payload systems continue to respond to the changing mission requirements of the US military and civilian users, and from allied countries."

Throughout its 25-year history, the Predator series fleets have flown nearly six million flight hours. GA-ASI is developing the new version of the series, MQ-9B SkyGuardian, that meets the airworthiness certification and air traffic management requirements that will allow the UAV to operate in the NAS (National Airspace System).

General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper 3D model

The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (sometimes called Predator B) is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) primarily for the United States Air Force (USAF).

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GA-ASI selects GKN to create fuel bladders for MQ-9B

GKN Aerospace has signed a development agreement with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) covering the design, development and manufacture of fuel bladders for the MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) system.

GKN Aerospace develops, builds and supplies an extensive range of advanced aerospace systems and components made by Additive Manufacturing (AM) and other innovative manufacturing technologies focused to reduce weight on the aircrafts.

GKN Aerospace will work in conjunction with GA-ASI to design and manufacture the fuel bladders at the GKN Aerospace facility in Tallassee, Alabama. Stefan Svenson, vice president of GKN Aerospace Special Products Group said: “We look forward to working with GA-ASI to provide a vital fuel system solution for this long-endurance Predator B platform variant. We have been supplying fuel systems for many decades and for many airframe platforms and MQ-9B fully exploits all our recent advances in both manufacturing and materials technologies.”

The agreement covers the fuel bladder system for the first production aircraft slated for 2018, with a potential full contract value of USD 15M when the aircraft enters into service with NATO’s UAV AIRWORTHINESS REQUIREMENTS (defined in STANAG 4671). MQ-9B is a "Type-Certifiable" version of GA-ASI’s Predator® B product line. The target is to create fuel bladders in complex shapes that fully exploit all available space on the MQ-9B airframe, maximizing the fuel load capacity and platform endurance.

General Atomics Jobs: UAV Pilot - Deployable

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

They have an exciting opportunity for a UAV Pilot at their El Mirage Facility near Palmdale, serving as PIC (Pilot-in-Command) of assigned UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicles).

More info at:

https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/uav-pilot-deployable-general-atomics-and-affiliated-companies-JV_IC1146846_KO0,20_KE21,61.htm?jl=2409432107&ctt=1497108863218

General Atomics Jobs: Project Control Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

Currently they are looking for a Project Control Engineer to perform Mechanical Engineering Project Control activities on Unmanned Aircraft (UA) programs.

More info at:

https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/project-control-engineer-general-atomics-and-affiliated-companies-JV_IC1147311_KO0,24_KE25,65.htm?jl=2449269184&ctt=1497097096389

General Atomics Jobs: Staff Software Developer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

Currently they are looking for an Staff Software Developer. Among other duties, the ideal candidate will research, design, develop, and test embedded software for Unmanned Air Vehicles.

More info at:

https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/staff-software-developer-general-atomics-and-affiliated-companies-JV_IC1147311_KO0,24_KE25,65.htm?jl=2420051056&ctt=1497096436485

General Atomics Jobs: Project Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

They have an exciting career opportunity for a Staff Project Engineer in their DMSMS / Obsolescence Engineering Group located in Poway, CA. As their UAV/GCS platforms age, end-of-life from components through complete assemblies has become a critical issue that impacts their entire fleet.

GA-ASI has an exciting opportunity to work in their new DMSMS team to resolve these obsolescence issues across all customers and platforms. They are looking for experienced Project Engineers that are highly motivated, well organized, excellent communicators with strong technical skills to join them.

This position will coordinate with GA-ASI's Engineering Disciplines as well as Customer organizations to develop and implement mitigation strategies to system level obsolescence issues experienced by GA-ASI’s Unmanned Aerial Systems. 

AMONG OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Overall management of complex technical projects from initiation to complete fielding of new or modified UAV systems and LRU's to ensure the continued supportability and viability of the systems.

More info at:

https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/staff-project-engineer-dmsms-obsolescence-group-general-atomics-and-affiliated-companies-JV_IC1147311_KO0,47_KE48,88.htm?jl=2420796643&ctt=1497095517823

General Atomics Jobs: Systems Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

They have an exciting opportunity for a Systems Engineer in their Project Engineering group, to perform Systems Engineering activities on Unmanned Aircraft (UA) programs.

More info at:

https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/systems-engineer-requirements-general-atomics-and-affiliated-companies-JV_IC1147311_KO0,29_KE30,70.htm?jl=2420796646&ctt=1497094878109

General Atomics Jobs: Project Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

They have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Project Engineer with a focus in integration to support the Quick Reactions group. This position supports the Project Engineering Payload Integration Team, providing systems engineering and technical management of new sensors and payloads onto GA-ASI, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

More info at:

https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/project-engineer-general-atomics-and-affiliated-companies-JV_IC1147311_KO0,16_KE17,57.htm?jl=2450988353&ctt=1497093584449

General Atomics Jobs: Systems Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

They have an exciting opportunity for a Systems Engineer within their Certified Predator B UAS group. This position will be responsible for coordinating effort across multiple functional engineering departments to produce functional and performance based specifications from the UAS level down to the component level.

System level understanding of the UAS design will be used to evaluate quality and completeness of specification documents.

AMONG OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Analyze and interprets requirements at the UAS, segment and component level and compiles requirements into test point at the appropriate test level.

More info at:

https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/systems-engineer-general-atomics-and-affiliated-companies-JV_IC1147311_KO0,16_KE17,57.htm?jl=2451405499&ctt=1497092486437

UK outlines extent of Reaper UAV strikes

The UK revealed on 21 March the extent of airstrikes being conducted against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria by Royal Air Force (RAF) General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). (Read more)

General Atomics dejará de fabricar el Predator

GA-ASI (General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.) ha anunciado que la Fuerza Aerea Italiana (ItAF) ha aceptado la entrega de dos últimos sistemas Predator que fabricará la compañía. Con esta entrega se cierran veinte años de historia de este legendario UAV, que ha sido utilizado para llevar a cabo una amplia gama de misiones ISR en todo el mundo.

US Navy releases requirements for carrier-launched UAV

The US Navy has released a request for proposal (RFP) to bring four potential Unmanned Carrier-Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) designs to maturity prior to a downselect. The RFP was released to four companies considered to have viable designs: Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI). The RFPs are individualized for each company and not public, so the exact specifications remain unknown. The RFP was initially due in late 2012, but subsequently delayed several times. After PDR is reached on the designs, a downselect to a single company is expected. The eventual result will be a stealthy unmanned air vehicle (UAV) for reconnaissance and light strike.

 

Thus far only Lockheed has publically unveiled its likely UCLASS offering, an aircraft bearing a strong resemblance to the classified RQ-170 reconnaissance drone flown by the US Air Force. Though no official bids have been made public, Northrop Grumman is thought likely to offer an aircraft based on the X-47B, which became the first unmanned aircraft to launch from a carrier deck in May. Boeing is likely to offer a derivative of its Phantom Ray, a company-funded demonstrator aircraft, while GA-ASI has the Avenger, jet-powered, high-speed version of the ubiquitous MQ-9 Reaper.  Though as late as 2012 GA-ASI was undecided about offering the Avenger or the slower Reaper, the RFP reportedly includes specifications making the propeller-powered Reaper an unlikely choice. The Navy declined to provide additional information.