General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) engineers received awards from the San Diego Section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) during an event on May 2 at the Allen Airways Flying Museum.
One GA-ASI team and two individual employees were recognized for 2026 awards in the categories of Outstanding Achievement by an Aerospace Organization, Outstanding Contribution to Aerospace Management, and Outstanding Contribution to the AIAA San Diego Section.
GA-ASI Engineering Vice President Dee Wilson, said, “One thing is certain; our company is built on the talents and abilities of our people. Without them, we would not be the world leader in Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS).”
GA-ASI Winners:
Outstanding Achievement by an Aerospace Organization – UK Protector UAS Military Type Certification Team
One of the highlights of 2025 for GA-ASI was earning the first Military Type Certification (MTC) of a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAS in the United States. The achievement, performed in partnership with the United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defence (MOD), encompassed the design, test, and creation of compliance evidence that earned the MTC for the MQ-9B SkyGuardian® remotely piloted aircraft system, which has been designated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as Protector RG Mk1 and is now in their service. The MTC was granted by the UK Military Aviation Authority (MAA) and certifies the aircraft for operations in all classes of airspace. In addition to the AIAA honor, the same GA-ASI team earned a Program Excellence Award from Aviation Week.
Outstanding Contribution to Aerospace Management – Leslie Smith
Another highlight from last year was the first flight of the YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). Leslie Smith, as program director, led GA-ASI’s development efforts throughout 2025, which included fast-tracking the aircraft, moving from contract award to first flight in just 15 months. Through focused planning, close collaboration, and a strong commitment to excellence, Leslie and her team ensured the aircraft was delivered to the flight line in June 2025. Then on August 27, 2025, the U.S. Air Force’s YFQ-42A CCA successfully flew from GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility. Leslie’s leadership continues to be instrumental to the entire YFQ-42A program team. Without her and the dedication of her team, the CCA program would not have achieved its many key milestones over the past year.
Outstanding Contribution to the AIAA San Diego Section – Pramod Mulabagula
When Pramod Mulabagula joined the AIAA San Diego Section Council, he saw an opportunity to sharpen the group’s technical edge by providing more opportunities for the group to learn from subject matter experts. He increased AIAA San Diego’s lecture series from one in 2024 to five in 2025, bringing in prestigious speakers, such as research professors from San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego, helping to bridge the gap between researchers in academia and industry professionals.
