General Atomics MQ-9

Honeywell’s TPE331 turboprop appears to be emerging as the engine of choice for aircraft that could eventually replace the USAF’s GA-ASI MQ-9s.

U.S. Air Force demand for a new fleet of Massed Modular Aircraft points to a novel way of fighting, with swarming, attritable aircraft flinging long-range missiles from afar.

The announced competitors for the U.S. Air Force’s Massed Modular Aircraft so far have one major thing in common—they use Honeywell Aerospace’s TPE331 engine.

Startup Swarm Aero has detailed key features of newly unveiled Gamera uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), the outcome of a nearly five-year, largely secretive effort to offer a swarm-capable replacement for the MQ-9A Reaper.

The U.S. Air Force has set a goal to field 1,000 new autonomous aircraft by 2032 along with tens of thousands of low-cost, long-range munitions.

Swarm Aero unveiled the Gamera UAS on the opening day of the Air, Space and Cyber conference, revealing the product of a nearly five-year, largely secret effort to offer the U.S. Air Force a replacement for the MQ-9A Reaper.

General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Inc. plans to draw on its Collaborative Combat Aircraft experience to develop the autonomous capabilities for its new Wildfire proposal.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. released the first renderings of the proposed Wildfire UAS, revealing a configuration that the company hopes will gain support from the U.S. Air Force.

India has put in motion plans to expand and overhaul its naval aviation capabilities, although budgetary, and sometimes technical, issues have complicated these efforts over the years.

After losing dozens of Reapers in Iran, the Air Force aims for its next medium-altitude surveillance aircraft to be simpler and cheaper.

The maker of the MQ-9A Reaper identified Italy on Sept. 8 as the buyer for two of the company’s remaining stock of unsold “white tails.”

A corrected Navy solicitation moves the start of GA-ASI MQ-9B SkyGuardian leasing from 2028 to 2027.

Saab is seeing emerging interest in teaming its GlobalEye business jet-based airborne early warning (AEW) platform with the new LoyalEye system fitted to the General Atomics MQ-9 SkyGuardian.

The U.S. Navy revealed a long-term interest on Aug. 19 to lease MQ-9B SeaGuardians and SkyGuardians, two types of uncrewed aircraft systems.

The company that invented the MQ-9A Reaper is now aiming to reinvent the medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) category.

India Leases Additional MQ-9Bs For Navy

The Indian government has signed a leasing agreement with General Atomics for additional MQ-9B uncrewed aircraft systems.

The Pentagon has opened a solicitation that would replace the MQ-9A Reaper fleet with a cheaper type of UAS that could be produced in mass quantities.

General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) says it is modifying the ground control station for the MQ-9A Reaper to also operate the larger MQ-9B model, with testing starting by year’s end.

General Atomics sees air-recoverable uncrewed aircraft systems extending the reach of MQ-9 payloads.

The Senate Armed Services Committee on June 11 approved its version of the 2027 defense policy bill with new restrictions on defense industry.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has proposed the MQ-9B SeaGuardian to backfill for a U.S. Air Force Reaper shortage.

Swarm Aero has picked Honeywell Aerospace to provide the powerplant for its Group 5 UAS it is targeting for the U.S. Air Force’s MQ-9 replacement.

The most valuable aircraft for the U.S. Air Force during the 38-day air strike campaign against Iran earlier this year proved to be the MQ-9A Reaper, the Air Force’s top general told lawmakers May 20.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.