General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has set a new company record this week, with the ongoing flight operations of the new YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft pushing past a total of 9 million flight hours.
GA-ASI has been tracking total flight hours across its fleet of unmanned aerial systems since the company’s inception 33 years ago. Its line of UAS includes aircraft such as the Predator®, Reaper®, Gray Eagle®, Avenger®, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian®. The YFQ-42A’s ongoing flights are only part of GA-ASI’s broader unmanned operations. At any given time, as many as 50 GA-ASI aircraft are in flight, supporting global security for U.S. and allied users.
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 redesignated it as the MQ-1 Predator in 2002. Other aircraft, including the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, MQ-9A Reaper, and MQ-20 Avenger, followed as GA-ASI advanced the capabilities and employment of uncrewed aircraft.
David R. Alexander, GA-ASI President, commented, “What an amazing moment. 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.”
More recently, GA-ASI has begun deliveries of its MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian aircraft. According to the company, MQ-9B is designed for long endurance and range, with automatic takeoff and landing enabled by satellite-only control, and will be able to operate in unsegregated airspace using the GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid system.
GA-ASI has delivered MQ-9Bs to the U.K.’s Royal Air Force (Protector) and the Belgian Air Force, and 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 participated in U.S. Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, and Group Sail.
Meanwhile, the company continues to support the development of new aircraft and operational concepts 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. In August, GA-ASI announced the start of flight testing for its third, the YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft. The new unmanned fighter jet was designed and developed by GA-ASI for rapid production at scale.
