20 Years After First Flight, General Atomics Reimagines MQ-9 Role

Steve Trimble February 02, 2021
U.S. Air Force MQ-9
A well-armed MQ-9 flew into the sunset over the Nevada Test and Training Range in January 2020, as the fleet was being prepared to transition to an era of national defense priorities.
Credit: Airman 1st Class William Rio Rosado/U.S. Air Force
Neal Blue’s original idea for what became the feared MQ-9 Reaper was not an armed unmanned aircraft system at all, or even a military reconnaissance platform. The founder of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) instead proposed in the late 1990s a new turboprop-powered and medium...
Steve Trimble

Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington DC.

20 Years After First Flight, General Atomics Reimagines MQ-9 Role is available to both Aviation Week & Space Technology and AWIN subscribers.

Subscribe now to read this content, plus receive critical analysis into emerging trends, technological advancements, operational best practices and continuous updates to policy, requirements and budgets.

Already a subscriber to AW&ST or AWIN? Log in with your existing email and password.

Subscribe    Log in    

Related Content

manned-unmanned teaming of fighters
U.S. Military Pushes Autonomous Combat System Into Flight
Aviation Week Intelligence Network
Monitor the market and connect your business to the people, programs and proprietary data driving the Aerospace & Defense market - only available with AWIN.

ASD_AWIN_thumbnail_270

Stay Connected.
Stay Informed
Grow Your Business.

Learn How