A spacecraft built by General Atomics‘ electromagnetic systems business has completed a NASA-sponsored in-orbit demonstration of miniature atomic clock technology. The company said Tuesday its Orbital Test Bed satellite hosted the Deep Space Atomic Clock to test the payload’s ability to consistently track time for long-duration space exploration. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory produced DSAC and […] More

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business is applying a modular open-systems approach to an unmanned aircraft system for multi-domain operations in support of the U.S. Army. The company said Thursday its Gray Eagle Extended Range UAS will undergo a system-wide MOSA implementation that will also cover command and control software. The MOSA implementation on GE-ER Increment […] More

Hughes Network Systems and SES have tested the performance of multi-orbit satellite communications that General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business intends to use on its unmanned aerial vehicle to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. Hughes said Wednesday its HM series software-defined modems and resource management system work with SES’ geosynchronous and medium earth orbit satellites […] More

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business used autonomous command and control technology to demonstrate aerial manned-unmanned teaming between a King Air 200 aircraft and its MQ-20 Avenger drone. The company said Friday it used a ruggedized tactical control tablet with Autonodyne’s RCU-1000 Advanced Human Machine Interface to inform Avenger’s behavior and provide situational awareness. A General […] More

General Atomics has added to its space systems infrastructure in San Diego a 7,500-square-foot cleanroom facility that can support the production of up to 300 optical communication terminals per year. Scott Forney, president of General Atomics’ electromagnetic systems business, said in a statement published Monday GA-EMS is committed to fielding OCTs in support of future […] More

The Office of Naval Research has tasked General Atomics‘ electromagnetic systems business to determine how to integrate propulsion and power storage systems into large-displacement unmanned underwater vehicles. Under the concept design contract, the company will work on a motor and an energy system that could meet the performance requirements of future LDUUVs, GA said Friday. […] More

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions and General Atomics have received contract option awards from the U.S. Air Force to continue developing their unmanned aerial vehicle candidates for the Skyborg Vanguard program. The contract options fund the integration of the Autonomous Core System into the Kratos XQ-58A and General Atomics MQ-20 aircraft and performance of more […] More

The aeronautical systems segment of General Atomics was added to nine out of ten pools available on a General Services Administration multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract vehicle and will compete for task orders meant to support the military and the Department of Defense. The ASTRO contract provides for the delivery of operation, maintenance, research and development […] More

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business flew an Avenger unmanned aircraft to demonstrate autonomous target tracking with help from a Lockheed Martin-made infrared sensor. During the industry-funded demonstration, Avenger used the infrared search and track capability of Lockheed’s Legion Pod to detect multiple aircraft that were flying at fast speeds, General Atomics said Wednesday. Avenger’s autonomy […] More

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business has received additional orders from the U.K. defense ministry for 13 Protector RG Mk1-configured MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned aircraft systems. The U.K. ministry exercised a clause on its existing production contract to add to the initial three Protector remotely piloted air systems ordered in September 2020, General Atomics said Thursday. Each […] More

General Atomics‘ electromagnetic systems business maintains on-schedule delivery of electromagnetic aircraft launch systems and advanced arresting gear for the U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class carriers. The company said Monday its recently delivered EMALS and AAG units will be installed on the future USS John F. Kennedy and USS Enterprise, also known as CVN 79 and […] More

General Atomics has rolled out the first MQ-9A Block 5 unmanned aircraft and ground control station the company’s aeronautical systems unit produced for the Netherlands’ air force to fulfill a foreign military sales requirement. The acceptance testing phase for the Dutch remotely piloted aircraft is scheduled to commence in early 2022 at the Gray Butte Flight […] More