Reaper UAV tests new SATCOM capability
The LEO SATCOM package was tested on an MQ-9A Reaper aircraft in December. (Photo: GA-ASI)
GA-ASI and the US Air National Guard (ANG), with support from the USMC and USAF, have flight tested an MQ-9A Reaper UAV equipped with a low Earth orbit (LEO) SATCOM C2 system.
The flight took place on 22 December. According to GA-ASI, the capability provides global coverage and connectivity that will support 'pole-to-pole' operations for the company's MALE UAS family, including the MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian and Gray Eagle, as well as the Reaper.
'This is truly game-changing for our platforms,' said GA-ASI president David R Alexander. 'Using LEO SATCOM not only keeps GA-ASI aircraft connected from the North Pole to the South Pole to allow operations in the most austere environments, but it will also provide resilient connectivity that allows operators to pass much more data to and from the aircraft.'
Related Articles
Skytrac SATCOM solution climbs aboard French H160Ms
General Atomics flies UAS missions with AI pilots
TB2 UAV conquers another export market with Kuwaiti order
The testing indicates that LEO SATCOM reduces latency and can be used in all phases of flight. LEO SATCOM should decrease operational costs for operators, and the equipment's low hardware footprint will ultimately increase flexibility and reduce future payload integration costs.
The MQ-9A flight test made from GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility in California, and followed several weeks of ground testing.
In terms of the market for the technology, Shephard Defence insight lists a total of 398 MQ-9As on order, 63 Gray Eagle ERs and 28 SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian aircraft.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Digital Battlespace
-
Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces
Airbus was awarded the Composante Spatiale Optique (CSO) contract at the end of 2010. This included an option for a third satellite, which was activated after Germany joined the programme in 2015.
-
Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)
In today’s contested operational environment, adaptability is key. The new Geospatial-Intelligence as a Service (GEO IaaS) solution from Fujitsu and MAIAR empowers militaries by enabling intelligence advantage, combining advanced technology with human expertise to deliver actionable insights.
-
Israel sets up new department to boost development of AI and autonomy
Israel will continue to develop autonomy for its weapons and platforms as it brings together defence personnel, academia and industry.
-
Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s
Clavister CyberArmour, an integrated defence cybersecurity system, will be used on BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 platform in deployments with a Scandinavian country, as well as in an eastern European nation.
-
Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch
The tactical satellite (TacSat) is an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system and will participate in exercises in 2025.
-
AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.