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Archives by category > General Atomics (RSS)

The MQ-4C Triton: Poseidon’s Unmanned Herald

Mar 16, 2023 04:58 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Northrop Grumman won a $57.5 million modification, which exercises options to provide continued sustainment, engineering, logistics, and test support for MQ-4C Triton air vehicles, mission control and operator training systems; continued field service representative’s technical support to ensure that the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) aircraft are mission-capable for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions supporting aircraft early operational capability and initial operating capability; and continued reach-back engineering support for both the Navy and the government of Australia MQ-4C Triton UAS assets.  Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (36.5%); San Diego, California, California; Jacksonville, Florida; Mayport, Florida; Baltimore, Maryland; various location within the continental US (CONUS); and various location outside CONUS (12.7%), and is expected to be completed in March 2024.

BAMS ConOps NAVAIR

BAMS Operation Concept

The world’s P-3 Orion fleets have served for a long time, and many are reaching the end of their lifespans. In the USA, and possibly beyond, the new P-8 Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft will take up the P-3’s role. While the P-8’s base 737-based airframe offers strong service & maintenance arguments in its favor, the airframe is expensive enough that the P-3s cannot be replaced on a 1:1 basis.

In order to extend the P-8 fleet’s reach, and provide additional capabilities, the Poseidon was expected to work with at least one companion UAV platform. This DID FOCUS Article explains the winning BAMS (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance) concept, the program’s key requirements, and its international angle. We’ll also cover ongoing contracts and key events related to the program, which chose Northrop Grumman’s navalized MQ-4C Triton Global Hawk variant.

Continue Reading… »

ER/MP Gray Eagle: Enhanced MQ-1C Predators for the Army

Nov 29, 2022 04:56 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: A bipartisan group of US senators has asked Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to explain the reasons behind not sending the MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones to Ukraine. The 16 lawmakers demanded the explanation in a letter following the Pentagon’s reported refusal to send the General Atomics platform for fear of technology theft.

MQ-1C Hellfires

ER/MP, armed

Its initial battles were fought within the Pentagon, but the US Army’s high-end UAV has made its transition to the battlefield.

The ER/MP program was part of the US Army’s reinvestment of dollars from the canceled RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program, and directly supports the Army’s Aviation Modernization Plan. The US Air Force saw this Predator derivative as a threat and tried to destroy it, but the program survived the first big “Key West” battle of the 21st century. Now, the MQ-1C “Gray Eagle” is in production as the US Army’s high-end UAV. As CENTCOM’s wars end, however, the Gray Eagle may find that staying in the fleet is as hard as getting there.

This FOCUS article offers a program history, key statistics and budget figures, and ongoing coverage of the program’s contracts and milestones.

Continue Reading… »

UCLASS to be Descoped for CBARS Conversion AKA MQ-25 Stingray

Aug 01, 2022 04:58 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Boeing won a $57.7 million order, which provides for the procurement of various initial spares and repair equipment in support of the MQ-25A Stingray air vehicle for the Navy. Work will take place in Missouri and Indiana. Expected completion is in July 2025.
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X-47B Carrier Takeoff Diagram

UCAS-D/ N-UCAS concept

The idea of UAVs with full stealth and combat capabilities has come a long way, quickly. Air forces around the world are pursuing R&D programs, but in the USA, progress is being led by the US Navy.

Their interest is well-founded. A May 2007 non-partisan report discussed the lengthening reach of ship-killers. Meanwhile, the US Navy’s carrier fleet sees its strike range shrinking to 1950s distances, and prepares for a future with fewer carrier air wings than operational carriers. Could UCAV/UCAS vehicles with longer ranges, and indefinite flight time limits via aerial refueling, solve these problems? Some people in the Navy seem to think that they might. Hence UCAS-D/ N-UCAS, which received a major push in the FY 2010 defense review. Now, Northrop Grumman is improving its X-47 UCAS-D under contract, even as emerging privately-developed options expand the Navy’s future choices as it works on its new RFP.

Continue Reading… »

EMALS/ AAG: Electro-Magnetic Launch & Recovery for Carriers

Dec 30, 2021 04:56 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: General Atomics won a $69.9 million deal that provides non-recurring engineering and program management services in support of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system for the CVN 81 aircraft carrier, minus energy storage subsystem. The deal provides for the evaluation, production, manufacture, assembly, integration and test of engineering changes to product hardware, software, technical data, and logistics products throughout the configuration management process associated with the EMALS and AAG system for the CVN 81 aircraft carrier, minus the energy storage subsystem. Work will take place in California. Estimated completion will be in December 2023.

EMALS Components

EMALS Components

As the US Navy continues to build its new CVN-21 Gerald R. Ford Class carriers, few technologies are as important to their success as the next-generation EMALS (Electro-MAgnetic Launch System) catapult. The question is whether that technology will be ready in time, in order to avoid either costly delays to the program – or an even more costly redesign of the first ship of class.

Current steam catapult technology is very entertaining when it launches cars more than 100 feet off of a ship, or gives naval fighters the extra boost they need to achieve flight speed within a launch footprint of a few hundred feet. It’s also stressful for the aircraft involved, very maintenance intensive, and not really compatible with modern gas turbine propulsion systems. At present, however, steam is the only option for launching supersonic jet fighters from carrier decks. EMALS aims to leap beyond steam’s limitations, delivering significant efficiency savings, a more survivable system, and improved effectiveness. This free-to-view spotlight article covers the technology, the program, and its progress to date.

Continue Reading… »

Reap and Sow… The British RAF’s MQ-9 RPAS

Mar 28, 2019 04:52 UTC

Latest updates[?]: The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center contracted General Atomics Aeronautical Systems $9.2 million for the UK MQ-9 Reaper contractor logistics support effort. The deal provides for ongoing sustainment of the UK MQ-9 fleet. The MQ-9 Reaper is a remotely piloted medium-altitude, long endurance aircraft designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance, and attack missions. The UK purchased two MQ-9A Reapers in 2006 and a third one in 2007. The same year, the drones began operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. By May 2011, five Reapers were in operation and a further five on order. This week, MAG Aerospace won $11.4 million for ongoing sustainment, management, development and network administration of the UK MQ-9 Reaper Operations Centers. The Netherlands also procured four MQ-9 systems from the US Air Force at the beginning of the week. General Atomics will perform work under the current contract at multiple stateside and international locations, and is expecting to be finished by June 30, 2019. The award involves 100 percent foreign military sales to the government of the United Kingdom.

RAF MQ-9

RAF MQ-9, armed

Britain decided to stand up a full Reaper flight in late 2007, after positive early experience with 3 unarmed MQ-9s in Afghanistan. The British initially saw the MQ-9 only as a high-end surveillance drone to complement their mid-range , and short-range Desert Hawk and RQ-11 Raven mini-UAVs. That changed, as the RAF eventually bought 10 Reapers – and armed them…

Continue Reading… »

Ruin on Rails: The US Navy’s Rail Gun Project

Aug 04, 2017 04:57 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Russia has announced that it is developing its own rail gun technology as the first pictures of US efforts made their way to press. The "battlefield meteorite" is capable of firing a projectile at an initial speed of 4,500 miles per hour, piercing seven steel plates, and leaving a 5-inch hole -- able to "blow holes in enemy ships, destroy tanks and level terrorist camps." For Russia, the new weapon will not replace traditional weapons "even in the mid-term perspective," as much time needs to pass from the first tests to the mass production, especially considering the high price of the production, according to Russian senator Franz Klintsevich.

Rail Gun concept

The concept

Back in March 2006, BAE Systems received a contract for “design and production of the 32 MJ Laboratory Launcher for the U.S. Navy.” Some hint of what they are talking about can be gleaned from the name. BAE isn’t the only firm that’s working on this program, which the US Navy sees as its gateway to a game-changing technology. The project is an electro-magnetic rail gun, which accelerates a projectile to incredibly high speeds without using explosives.

The attraction of such systems is no mystery – they promise to fire their ammunition 10 or more times farther than conventional naval gun shells, while sharply reducing both the required size of each shell, and the amount of dangerous explosive material carried on board ship. Progress is being made, but there are still major technical challenges to overcome before a working rail gun becomes a serious naval option. This DID FOCUS article looks at the key technical challenges, the programs, and the history of key contracts and events.

Continue Reading… »

UAE Tie-Up Introduces the RQ-1 Predator XP

Jun 01, 2014 16:39 UTC

Latest updates[?]: Interest from Kazakhstan.
Predator XP Concept

Predator XP Concept

With MQ-1 Predator UAVs fading from the marketplace as advanced customers turn to the MQ-9 Reaper, General Atomics is moving to broaden the type’s appeal. At IDEX 2011, they announced a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE’s International Golden Group to offer an RQ-1 “Predator XP” variant to the Emirates, with US government permission to broaden that customer base to “other countries in the Middle East and North Africa.”

General Atomics’ MQ-1 Predator UAV has achieved iconic status around the world, but export success has been limited. The Predator XP is designed to break the logjam that has stymied wider sales, and at IDEX 2013, the logjam finally broke. So, what makes the “XP” version different? And why was it necessary in the first place?

Continue Reading… »

Program Decision Makers: Defense Firms Providing Less Value

Oct 09, 2012 10:00 UTC

Top 20 defense contractors

Defense top contractors compared

Defense Industry Daily surveyed more than 400 executives, asking them their opinions on the top defense contractors based both on their personal experiences and general impressions. The results show that defense contractors on average suffered worse ratings than were seen a year earlier. Some groups bore the brunt of that fall, particularly the information technology players.

Continue Reading… »

US Destroyers Get a HED: More Power to Them!

May 09, 2012 13:36 UTC

DDG-100 Kidd

USS Kidd [DDG-100]

The US Navy’s DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers are the backbone of their present and future fleet. Unfortunately, they have a problem. Two problems, actually.

One problem involves keeping the fleet’s operating costs low, especially fuel use. These ships aren’t as efficient as more modern designs, especially at the low cruising speeds that make up so much of a ship’s operating life. The other problem is that DDG-51 destroyers are having trouble generating enough power, especially if they want to receive new radars like the proposed AMDR. Since this destroyer class includes the majority of American ballistic missile-defense ships, their ability to remain relevant, and to field an upgraded “Flight III” variant, is critical to maintaining US sea power.

A Northrop Grumman team, which includes Curtiss-Wright and L-3, believes that they may have the answer to both problems. Nor are they the only firm looking into this.

  • Why Get a HED? Problems, and Opportunities [updated]
  • Contracts & Key Events
  • Additional Readings

Continue Reading… »

It’s Better to Share: Breaking Down UAV GCS Barriers

Oct 03, 2011 14:00 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: $65M to General Atomics.
MQ-1 Predator GCS Balad Air Base Iraq

US “Chair” Force?

UAVs have played a crucial role in gathering intelligence in the US military’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are thousands of UAVs gathering and distributing valuable data on the enemy, but each system uses its own proprietary subsystem to control the air vehicle as well as receive and process the data. Yet commanders need access to information gathered by all types of UAVs that are flying missions in their area of operation.

Recognizing this shortcoming, the Pentagon began an effort in 2008 to break down the proprietary barriers between UAV systems and create a single GCS that will fly all types of drones.

This free-to-view DID Spotlight article examines the problem of proprietary UAV systems and efforts to break down barriers to sharing vital UAV-generated information.

Continue Reading… »
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