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The Airframer Bulletin

General Atomics MQ-9
All news ✕ Clear ‹ Current edition

Every Bulletin story and press release covering General Atomics MQ-9, newest first.

132 items · page 1 of 3

2026
28 May The joint platform is designed to track multiple airborne threats simultaneously while operating beyond the line of sight.

Saab and GA-ASI fly LoyalEye early warning demonstrator

The MQ-9B test flight begins an evaluation campaign for an unmanned airborne warning system designed to extend surveillance reach.

20 April

ReleaseGA-ASI completes MQ-9B 'Flight Into Known Icing' flight tests

22 January GA-ASI broke ground on a new hangar in El Mirage, California on January 14. Bart Roper and Ryan Elmer of Parkway; Tuan Nguyen, Jim Burghard, Linden Blue and Jesse Armendarez of San Bernardino County; and Dave Hyatt were in attendance.

El Mirage grows to support MQ-9B production and testing

The 85,000 sq fr facility will accommodate SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian RPAs along with Certifiable Ground Control Stations and launch pads

20 January

ReleaseGA-ASI and Calidus sign MOU to collaborate on co-production of MQ-9B and Gambit Collaborative Combat Aircraft

2025
3 December

ReleaseElectra launches Defense unit to deliver next generation airlift solutions for the last tactical leg

17 November

ReleaseGA-ASI completes full-scale fatigue test on MQ-9B

17 July

ReleaseA new transatlantic partnership for European CCA

26 June

ReleaseGA-ASI announces investment in Dutch technology innovator Arceon

16 June

ReleaseSaab and General Atomics develop unmanned airborne early warning solution

15 June

ReleaseGA-ASI adds Saab Airborne Early Warning capability to MQ-9B

15 June

ReleaseGA-ASI announces new PELE small UAS for international customers

15 May The UK’s MTC decision is the first of its kind for a large unmanned aircraft system.

Protector is first large UAS with unrestricted UK military certification

The certification has cleared the RAF’s Protector for unrestricted use over populous areas and marked a major shift in uncrewed system airworthiness recognition.

16 April

ReleaseGA-ASI announces technology investments from Blue Magic Netherlands

7 April

ReleaseGA-ASI expands targeting capability for MQ-9B SeaGuardian

25 March

ReleaseGA-ASI completes first flight of Belgium's MQ-9B SkyGuardian

3 March

ReleaseGA-ASI welcomes USAF designation for new CCA: YFQ-42A

3 March

ReleaseGeneral Atomics introduces Quadratix software enterprise

25 February

ReleaseGA-ASI advances sub-hunting with test of new air-dropped sensors

18 February

ReleaseGA-ASI and CAE sign long-term agreement MQ-9B SkyGuardian mission trainer

2024
14 October

ReleaseGA-ASI completes full-scale fatigue test on MQ-9B for second lifetime

27 June

ReleaseGA-ASI and Lockheed Martin developing Net-Enabled Weapons capability for MQ-9B SeaGuardian

11 January The equivalent of 40,000 operating hours have been completed as part of fatigue testing on the MQ-9B.

GA-ASI completes first lifetime for full-scale fatigue test on MQ-9B

Testing will simulate three lifetimes of operations: Two of these replicate the operation of an aircraft under normal conditions, and the third lifetime has intentional damage inflicted on the airframe's critical components

2023
13 November

ReleaseGA-ASI partners with EDGE to integrate smart weapons onto MQ-9B

5 October

ReleaseCesiumAstro, SES, and Hughes team up to demonstrate a scalable Ka-band active phased array SATCOM terminal

10 August

ReleaseGA-ASI opens new hangar at FTTC in Grand Forks, ND

3 August

ReleaseGA-ASI Mojave STOL UAS completes first dirt operation

14 July

ReleaseGA-ASI's unmanned aircraft cross 8 million flight hours

16 June

ReleaseCesiumAstro partners with U.S. Air Force in $3.6M program to demonstrate satellite communications terminal on MQ-9A Reaper

24 February

ReleaseGA-ASI performs cold weather validation using MQ-9B SkyGuardian

2 February

ReleaseGA-ASI flight tests LEO SATCOM on MQ-9A

12 January First flight of the new variant was last November, GA-ASI reports.

GA-ASI confirms first flight of M2DO-ready Reaper

Features of the new variant MQ-9A include improved power distribution and redundancy, GPS improvements, radar altimeters, nose wheel steering, and angle of attack sensor system improvements.

2022
20 December

ReleaseGA-ASI flies new multi-use NATO Pod on MQ-9

1 December

ReleaseGA-ASI demonstrates network relay using laser communications

25 October

ReleaseGA-ASI demonstrates air-to-air laser communications

26 September

ReleaseGA-ASI continues work with Conflux in additive manufacturing as UAS leader partners with Australian supplier on Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger for MQ-9B

21 September

ReleaseGA-ASI creates additive design & manufacturing Center of Excellence

25 August Successfully completing this trial demonstrates the readiness of the MS-110 systems to support customers around the globe.

Fast jet reconnaissance pod achieves first flight

Collins Aerospace reconnaissance systems have been fielded and are operational on tactical fast jet platforms such as the F-15 and F-16, as well as special mission ISR business jets.

18 August The SkyGuardian in flight.

GA-ASI tests the options with PT6 for SkyGuardian

The PT6 E-Series was chosen as a reliable and versatile turboprop engine family that will deliver the performance characteristics required as GA-ASI continues its development of MQ-9B capabilities.

26 July

ReleaseMcCauley's newest propeller for UAVs from GA-ASI receives FAA certification

23 June

ReleaseGA-ASI prepares ELINT and COMINT capabilities for RIMPAC exercise

28 April GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SeaGuardian.

GA-ASI selects latest Seaspray AESA radar for the MQ-9

Leonardo's 7500E V2 radar is the latest variant of the Seaspray Active Electronically Scanned Array radar family, featuring updated processor and receiver technology to meet the demands of the ISR mission set.

28 March

ReleaseGA-ASI completes new set of UAS detect and avoid flights for FAA

24 March The GKN Aerospace V-tail is a standard component of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian.

GA-ASI installs first V-tail from GKN onto SkyGuardian

The first of the advanced composite V-tails was shipped from the GKN in Cowes, UK, to GA-ASI in Poway, California and fitted onto an MQ-9B RPA, which will ultimately be delivered to the RAF as a Protector RPA.

14 March

ReleaseHuneed Technologies to supply CCAs to GA-ASI

10 February

ReleaseGA-ASI selects two companies to support MQ-9B development as part of Blue Magic Belgium

2021
9 December

ReleaseGA-ASI announces new Mojave UAS

30 November

ReleaseGA-ASI completes series of system level tests for Protector

10 September

ReleaseGA-ASI flies UAS in the Canadian Arctic

7 July

ReleaseTCG LinkPRO supports successful Naval unmanned aircraft system link 16 demonstration during U.S. PACFLT unmanned integrated battle problem '21

22 April

ReleaseGA-ASI further expands MQ-9 mission capability