Predator: More Unmanned Electronic Attack Capabilities

2014-01-23

Predator: More Unmanned Electronic Attack Capabilities

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA ASI) and Northrop Grumman demonstrated the Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aircraft System's (UAS) electronic attack capability during a U.S. Marine Corps' Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course. 

The demonstration evaluated the capability of a UAS to conduct electronic warfare missions alongside other unmanned aircraft, according to GA ASI. During the demonstration, two Predators were operated, one with Northrop's Pandora Electronic Warfare (EW) system, and a GA ASI-owned Predator with a jamming pod. Northrop Grumman's payload was successfully integrated with the Predator B avionics, and the command and control architecture, GA ASI said. 

"Our collaboration with the Marine Corps and Northrop Grumman demonstrates the operational flexibility of the Predator B from being primarily a counter-insurgency aircraft to a platform that can address a broader spectrum of operational requirements," said Frank W. Pace, president, aircraft systems at GA ASI.


Region:  USA and Canada
Contry:  USA
Category:  UAV
Company:  Northrop Grumman



USA GA-ASI UAV
Name:  Predator B / MQ-9 Reaper   Region:  USA and Canada    Country:  USA    Category:  UAV    Company:  GA-ASI   
Predator B / MQ-9 Reaper

Use(s): reconnaissance, overland and maritime surveillance, target acquisition/designation, weapons delivery, communications relay, EW, SIGINT Manufacturer: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) Customers/Users: US Air Force, US Navy, UK Royal Air Force, US Department of Homeland Security, NASA Powerplant: Honeywell TPE 331-1 OTkW turboprop Dimensions: length: 11 m, wingspan: 20m Weight: empty: 1,678kg, MTOW: 4,763kg, max payload internal: 385kg, external: 1,361kg Performance: speed: 240+kt, endurance: 30+hr, ceiling: 50,000ft Payload: EO/IR, Lynx SAR/GMTI, SIGINT/ESM, multi-mode maritime radar, AIS, communications relay, Hellfire missiles, GBU-12 and GBU-38 Data Link: C-band LoS, Ku-band BLoS satcom Guidance/Tracking: INS/GPS Launch: conventional wheeled Recovery: conventional wheeled Structure Material: semi-monocoque composite using pre-iimpregnated bi-directional graphite skin and Nomex honeycomb stiffening panels Status: in service



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