All articles tagged with #general atomics
The Air Force plans to buy back a small number of unused MQ-9A Block 5 Reapers from General Atomics to backfill combat losses in the Middle East, but only a handful are available worldwide. With the MQ-9A fleet shrinking to about 135–165 aircraft, the service is pursuing the long-term MQ-9 Next (not expected for years) while cannibalizing Predator parts and reusing decommissioned drones to keep operations running.
At the Singapore Air Show, General Atomics and Anduril signaled that the Navy’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program could reuse Fury-era components and design concepts to deliver a carrier-capable unmanned platform, with multiple contractors developing concepts and a common-control system while the Navy refines its operating concept for carrier-based CCAs.
At the Paris Air Show, General Atomics announced a partnership with Saab to equip the MQ-9B Reaper with Saab's AEW sensors for early warning capabilities, aiming for deployment by 2026, and unveiled a new air-launched effect called Pele, a small, autonomous UAS designed for deployment from larger aircraft or ground launch, with a range of operational uses including missile defense and drone swarm countermeasures.
Anduril Industries and General Atomics have completed critical design reviews for their drone designs under the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, setting the stage for test flights next year. The CCA program aims to deploy around 1,000 drone wingmen to operate alongside fighter jets by the end of the decade. Both companies are advancing their prototypes, with Anduril's Fury and General Atomics' Gambit leading the charge. The Air Force may select one or both designs for production, with further opportunities for other vendors in the future.