General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced in April 2020 that successful USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Flight Deck Certification (FDC) had been completed with the support of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system. The number of aircraft to have landed and taken off from the US Navy’s CVN 78 now totals more than 2,000. CVN 78 used fleet squadrons from Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), as well as pilots from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106 and Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 120 to obtain hundreds of sorties over a two week period with all arrested landings and catapult launches completed safely.
“We continue to see EMALS and AAG perform according to specifications to execute cats and traps with the objective of reaching the robust evolution rates necessary for combat,” stated Scott Forney, President of GA-EMS. “We are working closely with the Navy and CVN 78 crew to ensure operational performance is achieved. We remain extremely proud of our team, the squadrons’ pilots and the ship’s crew for all their hard work and dedication, and look forward to continuing success as CVN 78 undergoes these continued at sea periods.”
FDC is a qualification of the ship’s various aviation systems and includes the crews’ qualification to operate the numerous systems. FDC was completed March 20 following day and night launch and recovery exercises with F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. FDC is intended to qualify and prove ship and crew capabilities under operational conditions that can occur while on deployment.
On 31 January, CVN 78 completed Aircraft Compatibility Testing (ACT), a significant milestone that exhibited EMALS and AAG’s ability to launch and recover five types of aircraft in varying configurations – four of which for the first time. CVN 78 proved to accommodate the current naval air wing, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, C-2A Greyhound, EA-18G Growler, and T-45C Goshawk aircraft.
GA-EMS is delivering EMALS and AAG for the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) and USS Enterprise (CVN 80). Significant cost savings are being realised through multiple ship production contracts, which minimise gaps in production while maximising planning, scheduling and delivery to support all three Ford-class carriers.
GA-ASI To Use Radomes from SABCA for MQ-9B
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) will work with Belgium-based Sociétés Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques, SABCA to supply Satellite Communications (SATCOM) radomes for the MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). SABCA is one of GA-ASI’s team of Belgian suppliers – known as Team SkyGuardian Belgium – that will be providing content for all MQ-9B aircraft. The Government of Belgium has approved Belgian Defence to negotiate the acquisition of MQ-9B to meet the nation’s RPA requirements.
The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) is acquiring the MQ-9B as part of its Protector RG Mk1 programme and is scheduled for first delivery in the early 2020s. In December 2020, the Australian Government announced the selection of GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) under Project Air 7003.
GA-ASI Completes First Production-Representative MQ-9B SkyGuardian
GA has completed the first production-representative MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). First flight of this aircraft took place on 30 March at GA-ASI’s Flight Operations Facility in El Mirage, California. The new SkyGuardian, known within GA-ASI as BC03, is a company aircraft that is being utilised for ground and flight testing to collect airworthiness certification data starting with flight loads and aircraft performance testing. The results from the tests will form the Type Certification Exposition needed to achieve the Military Type Certificate for the Protector platform.
The multi-mission MQ-9B is built for all-weather performance with lightning protection, damage tolerance, and a de-icing system. SkyGuardian, as well as the maritime SeaGuardian, features a GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid System (DAAS).
Air National Guard to Install GA-ASI DAAS
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and the US Air National Guard (ANG) have signed a contract for GA-ASI to supply its Detect and Avoid System (DAAS) for one MQ-9 Block 1 and one MQ-9 Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
The DAAS consists of GA-ASI’s Due Regard Radar (DRR) and processor, and a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). For the ANG, GA-ASI will upgrade the software in the DRR to add a tactical weather mode, in addition to the air traffic surveillance capability. GA-ASI’s DAA system also enables safe access to uncontrolled airspace and will comply with Due Regard procedure when operating in international airspace.
USMC Makes 1st Operational Flight in Middle East Using GA-ASI MQ-9A
The US Marine Corps (USMC) pilots and sensor operators from Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 (VMU-1) have conducted their first operational flight of an MQ-9A Reaper Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in the Middle East. The multi-sensor reconnaissance-equipped MQ-9A UAS produced by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has provided crucial support to USMC’s forward operations on the battlefield.
With the oversight of the GA-ASI team, the VMU-1 “Watchdog” crews took control of a Company Owned/Company Operated (COCO) MQ-9A supporting forward deployed Marines. This USMC achievement comes shortly after surpassing 7,000 hours of COCO flight operations since September 2018.
GA and the Hypersonic Glide Body
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) recently participated in the successful testing of the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (CHGB) during joint flight test Flight Experiment 2 (FE-2) in support of the Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) and the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) programmes. This event was one in a series of tests slated to be conducted by the joint services. GA-EMS provided flight hardware and cables, flight software inputs and testing, test event training, data network infrastructure and data management.
Since 2006, GA-EMS has been working with industry, government and the Departments of Defence and Energy to develop and test hypersonic weapons. Currently, GA-EMS is providing manufacturing, production, engineering and technical support to integrate, test, and evaluate CHGB and flight test vehicles through system and subsystem-level ground and flight test activities.