General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business completed a test showing the effectiveness of laser communication in relaying network data at low probability of intercept and low probability of detection. The demonstration, which involved ground, mobile and airborne lasercomm terminals, was conducted at the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic in Charleston, South Carolina, and is intended for […] More

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. worked with Lockheed Martin and Tactical Air Support in a joint effort to conduct a flight demonstration of multi-platform infrared sensing. The test flight was carried out using GA-ASI’s MQ-20 Avenger unmanned aircraft system, a Sabreliner jet, and two F-5 Advanced Tigers equipped with Lockheed’s next-generation Tactical Infrared Search and […] More

General Atomics’ aeronautical systems business has secured a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for the development of an aircraft capable of sustained seaborne strategic and tactical lift. The Defense Department said Friday the $8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract award is in support of DARPA’s Liberty Lifter program. The program’s focus is on designing, building and […] More

The Department of Energy has provided five researchers from General Atomics with funding to perform experimental research on fusion energy at tokamak facilities in support of the administration’s goal of developing a fusion energy pilot plant. General Atomics said Friday research projects at tokamak facilities in the U.S. and worldwide are mainly focused on creating […] More

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business will provide the U.S. Navy with equipment spares for MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle under a $46.9 million contract modification. Under basic ordering agreement award, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems will supply spares needed by the Marine Air Ground Task Force to ensure the operability of MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper air […] More

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business, SES and Hughes Network Systems combined their technologies to conduct a higher data rate transmission of a multi-orbit satellite communications system. A demonstration event was held on Oct. 20 to show the resilience and capability of unmanned aerial vehicles to maintain high workload and mission-critical connectivity in congested and contested […] More

General Atomics completed a baseline design of a nuclear thermal propulsion reactor and engine and tested the components of the reactor as part of the initial phase of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations program. The company said Monday it assessed the high-temperature fuel elements of the NTP reactor […] More

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has completed the first on-sky test of its Castor telescope equipped with an adaptive optics system developed by General Atomics‘ electromagnetic systems business. The company said Tuesday the AO technology was able to detect dim, high-contrast and closely spaced objects, guiding the telescope toward what is now known as […] More

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business will deliver MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles to Poland under a $70.6 million lease agreement with that country’s defense ministry. The MQ-9A system is designed to fly up to 50,000 feet, operate for more than 27 hours and carry up to 3,850 pounds of payload, the company said Monday. Linden Blue, CEO […] More

General Atomics has designed a compact fusion pilot plant as the company aims to become a leader in producing clean, sustainable energy. The company said Thursday it will collaborate with fusion energy stakeholders to execute its vision for the facility, which will use its proprietary Fusion Synthesis Engine for maximum operational efficiency. The plant will […] More

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business and the U.S. Army have completed a trial run of a ground modernization software suite installed on a prototype of the Gray Eagle Extended Range unmanned aircraft system. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the software’s developer, conducted the flight test with the Army Unmanned Aircraft System Project Office at Fort Stewart […] More

General Atomics’ aeronautical systems business has completed the first flight tests of a new computer system designed to enhance the performance of the Gray Eagle Extended Range unmanned aircraft in contested environments. The Flight Control Module system trials were held by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. on Sept. 13 and 14 at a testing facility in […] More