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GA-ASI Completes First Flight of MQ-9B With AEW Pods

Thursday, May 21st, 2026

New Development Effort Will Enable Airborne Early Warning Capability for MQ-9B

SAN DIEGO – 21 May 2026 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew its MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft for the first time with Airborne Early Warning (AEW) pods. The much-anticipated AEW capability is being provided through a partnership with Saab. Once the AEW sensor, named LoyalEye, is made available to MQ-9B operators and new customers, it will deliver persistent and cost-effective air surveillance capabilities in regions where it is currently unavailable.

GA-ASI conducted a validation flight of MQ-9B using AEW radar pods on May 19 from GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon flight operations facility in Southern California using a company-owned aircraft. The flight signaled the first step in a development process that is expected to take several months and culminate with a full-capability demonstration later this year.

GA-ASI and Saab announced their partnership last year with the intention of bringing AEW capability to the MQ-9B platform.

MQ-9B models include the SkyGuardian®and SeaGuardian®, the United Kingdom’s MQ-9B variant known as Protector, and the new MQ-9B STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) configuration currently in development for naval aircraft carriers.

“AEW for MQ-9B will offer critical aloft sensing to defend against tactical air munitions, guided missiles, drones, fighter and bomber aircraft, and other threats. Operational availability for a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS is the highest of any military aircraft, and as an unmanned platform, its aircrews are not put into harm’s way,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander.

“This partnership integrates MQ-9B with LoyalEye, equipping operators with vital information for critical decision-making. LoyalEye extends the capabilities of manned systems, and it offers persistent surveillance and greater operational flexibility. This enhances situational awareness and boosts mission success,” said Carl-Johan Bergholm, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Area Surveillance at Saab.

GA-ASI and Saab’s AEW offering will span a wide range of applications, including early detection and warning, long-range detection and tracking, and simultaneous target tracking and flexible system integration, all over line-of-sight and SATCOM connectivity.

Posted in Aviation, EW, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on GA-ASI Completes First Flight of MQ-9B With AEW Pods

GA-ASI Congratulates VMU-3 for Being Named USMC UAV Squadron of the Year

Tuesday, April 28th, 2026

SAN DIEGO – 27 April 2026 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), supplier of the MQ-9A Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the U.S. Marines Corps (USMC), congratulates VMU-3 for being named the USMC’s UAV Squadron of the Year by the Marine Corps Aviation Association (MCAA). The 2026 “John I. Hudson Award” recognizes VMU-3’s operational effectiveness in using the MQ-9A platform within the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) and the MAGTF Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) program.

USMC’s UAV Squadron VMU-3, located at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, operates MQ-9A Extended Range (ER) UAVs with unique sensors and network capabilities that support training for the Marine Littoral Regiment.

MCAA also named VMU-3’s Capt. Garett B. Goar as the Marines’ UAV Officer of the Year.

“GA-ASI congratulates VMU-3 and Capt. Goar for their MCAA awards and for the important work they’re doing in operating MQ-9A,” said GA-ASI Vice President of DoD Strategic Development Patrick Shortsleeve.

To date, GA-ASI has delivered 20 MQ-9A Extended Range (ER) aircraft to the USMC that are operated by three USMC squadrons.

The MQ-9A ER is designed with field-retrofittable capabilities such as wing-borne fuel pods and a reinforced landing gear that extends the aircraft’s endurance while further increasing its operational flexibility. It provides long-endurance, persistent surveillance capabilities with Full-Motion Video and a Synthetic Aperture Radar/Moving Target Indicator/Maritime Mode Radar. An extremely reliable aircraft, MQ-9A ER is equipped with a fault-tolerant flight control system and a triple-redundant avionics system architecture. It is engineered to meet and exceed manned aircraft reliability standards.

Posted in Press Release, UAS, USMC | No Comments »

Mistral Inc Awarded US Army Contract to Provide THOR Group 2 UAS Systems in Support of Company-Level Small UAS Needs

Tuesday, April 28th, 2026

Mistral Inc., with its Autonomous Systems partner, FUSE (formerly Flying Production), a subsidiary of Elbit Systems C4I & Cyber, to deliver a backpack-portable, rapidly deployable VTOL platform designed for multi-mission company-level operations

BETHESDA, Md., April 27, 2026 — Mistral Inc.has been awarded a $20,039,666 firm-fixed-price contract by the U.S. Army for the procurement of the Thor System and payloads for the Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Product Office. The award was issued by Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of March 17, 2027.

Under the award (W58RGZ-26-G-0026), Mistral will deliver THOR UAS systems and various mission payloads intended to strengthen tactical formations with an organic, rapidly employable small UAS capability aligned to company-level mission needs.

Mistral has teamed with FUSE, developer of the THOR family of military tactical Group 2 drones, and will integrate various mission payloads to provide the U.S. Army with a mature platform designed for rapid assembly, autonomous flight operations, and modular payload integration.

Delivering a Soldier-relevant, multi-mission Group 2 capability
The THOR Group 2 drone is a military tactical, fully autonomous multi-rotor mini-UAS designed for a wide range of operational applications and reconnaissance missions, emphasizing rapid deployment and flexible payload carriage. Backpack-carried and rapidly assembled, THOR is designed to support small tactical teams with a flexible aerial capability spanning reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition/identification, communications relay, electronic warfare support, resupply/cargo, and configurable effects options as mission requirements evolve.

Built for fast tactical employment, THOR is designed to reduce operator workload through multi-platform operation, autonomous takeoff/landing, and mission execution, while enabling rapid role changes at the point of need through modular payload integration.

Production-ready maturity and delivery posture
The contract award supports delivery of UAS systems and payloads to the Army’s small UAS enterprise, with work locations and funding to be determined with each order under the award structure. Mistral through Avandra.Ai, Fuse US based subsidiary, will provide local training, field & technical support.

“This award is about getting a proven, company-relevant capability into Soldiers’ hands with speed, and doing it with a system designed for real operational conditions,” said Yoav Banai, Senior Vice President – Business Development at Mistral. “By pairing Mistral’s U.S.-based integration and delivery focus with Fuse’s THOR platform, we’re positioned to provide a rapidly deployable Group 2 UAS that supports multi-mission teams and adapts quickly as the operational picture changes.”

“Elbit Systems C4I & Cyber is proud to support this effort alongside Mistral and FUSE,” said Yoav Poizner, Vice President, Marketing, Elbit Systems C4I & Cyber. “The U.S. Army’s decision to select THOR as its Company-Level multi-rotor system validates the technological and operational advantages offered by our solutions. Together, we look forward to helping deliver a dependable system that can be configured for evolving mission needs and scaled for operational demand.”

Posted in Army, Contracts, Press Release, UAS | No Comments »

US Army Strengthens Gray Eagle With New ELINT Upgrade

Friday, April 17th, 2026

SAN DIEGO – 15 April 2026 – The U.S. Army is upgrading its MQ-1C Gray Eagle® Extended Range (ER) with enhanced electronic intelligence capabilities via a contract awarded to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). ELINT supports long-range sensing for the Integrated Air Defense System (IADS), providing critical information to ground commanders. This capability allows Gray Eagles to operate outside threat ranges while looking deeply into the battlespace and enables advanced manned-unmanned teaming to increase survivability for crewed Army aircraft.

“Combining long-range detection with the range and persistence of the Gray Eagle platforms ensures that commanders always know when an adversary IADS is operating,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “Gray Eagle’s open systems architecture makes this a simple but impactful upgrade.”

The ELINT sensor identifies and geo-locates critical threats vital to Joint Force Operations. To further enhance the Gray Eagle ERs electronic support capabilities, GA-ASI, along with Capability Program Executive Intelligence and Spectrum Warfare, will partner with SNC to integrate advanced radar detection and signal collection technology.

In addition to ELINT, the Gray Eagle ER has also been configured with modernized Communications Intelligence (COMINT), Synthetic Aperture Radar/Moving Target Indicator (SAR/MTI), and Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) radios in multiple Army demonstrations, highlighting the platform’s C5ISR Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) architecture. The aircraft also supports the integration of best-of-breed sensors, payloads, and weapons to rapidly adapt to threats or specific missions.

Gray Eagle ER was featured in the U.S. Army’s Project Convergence Capstone-5 (PCC-5) last year. The multi-mission, multi-sensor Gray Eagle ER performed persistent Detect, Identify, Locate, and Report (DILR) missions in an electronically contested environment, simultaneously providing mesh network aerial tier support to maneuver units and connecting the soldiers and launched effects that might otherwise be obstructed by terrain or be out of range.

PCC-5 demonstrated Gray Eagle ER’s ability to transform contact, fight, and survive capabilities, automating operator input with easy-to-use human-machine interfaces. Resilient to jamming while integrating and cross-cuing ELINT, COMINT, SAR, and Aerial Tier Network Expansion (ATNE), Gray Eagle ER enhanced the survivability of the maneuver forces while supporting the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF).

Posted in Press Release, Sensors, UAS | No Comments »

Rheinmetall and Boeing Partner on German MQ-28 Ghost Bat

Wednesday, April 1st, 2026

Rheinmetall and Boeing Australia have entered into a strategic partnership to offer the MQ-28 Ghost Bat as a mature solution for the Bundeswehr’s procurement of collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) into Germany by 2029.

Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat has completed more than 150 flights and has been designed, developed and manufactured in Australia for the Royal Australian Air Force and other allied nations.

A proven autonomous CCA, it will act as a force multiplier, teaming with manned platforms to provide critical combat mass in highly contested airspace. Its modular design and autonomous behaviours support a broad range of mission capabilities, including reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and the integration of weapons systems.

Under the partnership, Rheinmetall, with its experience in 5th-generation fighter aircraft and unmanned systems and its strong industrial base, will be the system manager for MQ-28 in Germany, overseeing system integration into existing and future command and weapon systems of the Bundeswehr, adaptation to national requirements and ensuring operational, maintenance, and logistical support.

“With Boeing Defence Australia as a partner, we are laying the groundwork to optimally tailor the MQ-28 to the Bundeswehr’s requirements,” said Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. “As a system integrator, we ensure that integration, operation, and further development come from a single source while simultaneously strengthening industrial value creation in the form of an industrial hub in Germany and Europe. We see revenue potential for Rheinmetall in the range of three-digit millions of euros.”

The strategic partnership ensures a high level of national and sovereign value creation and supply security in Germany.

The MQ-28 Ghost Bat’s open, modular system architecture allows for continuous upgrades and rapid capability growth. Rheinmetall will support a dedicated digital environment in country, where engineers from both Germany and Australia contribute, test and validate new software and hardware innovations.

“This is not just a partnership between our companies but between two great countries, Germany and Australia, who share a similar strategy for integrating collaborative combat aircraft into their air forces,” said Dr. Brendan Nelson, president of Boeing Global. “Our partnership will see Germany’s industrial base leverage years of Australian innovation and investment to field and evolve MQ-28 for the Bundeswehr.”

The collaboration supports joint development, testing and the systematic growth of German content on the Australian-developed platform and offers the Bundeswehr considerable time savings in the deployment of a CCA capability by 2029.

Posted in Aviation, Industry, International, Press Release, UAS | No Comments »

Steadicopter Launches Dedicated UAS Academy to Train Global Operators and Technicians on Advanced Rotary UAV Missions

Wednesday, March 25th, 2026

March 23, 2026 – Steadicopter, a leading developer and manufacturer of rotary unmanned aerial systems (UAS), has announced the launch of its dedicated Steadicopter UAS Academy, a comprehensive training program designed to equip customers with the operational expertise required to maximize the capabilities of the company’s advanced rotary UAV platforms.

The academy provides structured training programs delivered by Steadicopter’s expert instructors, many of whom bring extensive operational, aviation, and unmanned systems experience. The courses are designed to provide operators, mission commanders, and technical teams with deep knowledge of rotary UAS operations, enabling them to effectively deploy the systems across a wide range of operational environments.

The curriculum places a strong emphasis on fully leveraging the unique advantages of rotary UAS, including persistent hovering, precision deployment, and operational flexibility. Trainees learn how to apply these capabilities across a broad spectrum of mission applications such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), maritime operations, border security, tactical deployment, and special missions.

To ensure highly effective learning outcomes, the Steadicopter UAS Academy integrates state-of-the-art digital training tools and simulation-based learning aids, supported by an advanced LMS (Learning Management System). This digital infrastructure allows operators to develop mission planning, system operation, and decision-making skills within realistic digital environments before transitioning to live operational scenarios—significantly reducing training time while optimizing resource utilization.

A key feature of the academy is its global accessibility, enabled through Steadicopter’s robust LMS. This allows customers to conduct training, qualification, and ongoing personnel currency programs from virtually anywhere in the world, minimizing the need for travel, reducing operational downtime, and delivering a highly cost-effective training solution while accelerating time-to-readiness.

“Modern unmanned operations require more than advanced platforms – they require highly skilled personnel who understand how to fully exploit the capabilities of those systems,” said Noam Lidor, CEO of Steadicopter. “The Steadicopter UAS Flight Academy, supported by our advanced LMS, was established to ensure our customers gain the operational knowledge, mission expertise, and confidence needed to maximize the unique advantages of rotary UAS across a wide spectrum of missions. By combining expert instruction with advanced digital training technologies, we are enabling operators and technicians around the world to achieve operational readiness faster, more efficiently, and with significantly reduced training overhead – regardless of their location.”

The launch of the academy reflects Steadicopter’s ongoing commitment to supporting its customers not only with advanced unmanned systems, but also with the knowledge and operational expertise required to fully realize their potential in the field.

Posted in Press Release, Training, UAS | No Comments »

EagleNXT Advances Defense Initiatives in Poland Amid Market Expansion

Wednesday, March 4th, 2026

ALLEN, Texas, Feb. 25, 2026 — AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (dba, EagleNXT) (the “Company” or “EagleNXT”) (NYSE: UAVS), a leading provider of full stack drone, sensors and software solutions for customers worldwide in the commercial and government verticals, today highlighted significant momentum and expanding opportunities in Poland, after completion of a recent sale.

Poland has emerged as NATO’s top relative defense spender, allocating approximately 4.5% of GDP to defense in 2026, according to recent reports from the BBC and Reuters, far exceeding the alliance’s targets. This commitment, driven by heightened regional security needs, supports an ambitious multi-year modernization program focused on advanced capabilities, including unmanned aerial systems (UAS), sensors, and related technologies to enhance operational readiness and situational awareness.

“Poland’s leadership in defense spending, their vision for national defense and their access to major EU funding mechanisms create tremendous opportunities for innovative UAS providers like EagleNXT,” said Bill Irby, CEO of EagleNXT. “We are well-positioned to support Poland’s advanced defense and security environments.”

The momentum behind Poland’s defense spending intensified in January 2026, when the European Commission approved Poland’s national defense investment plan under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program. This unlocked approximately €43.7 billion in low-interest loans, enabling substantial investments in strategic unmanned systems and geospatial solutions. This is the largest SAFE allocation to any participating Member State.

EagleNXT’s in-country partner, Dilectro Enterprise, plays a pivotal role in delivering customer success, including training and support. As a proof point of this growing demand, EagleNXT successfully sold six eBee TAC tactical mapping drones to Polish customers through Dilectro in December 2025.

Building on this success and the broader market potential, EagleNXT and Dilectro will jointly participate in three major Polish trade shows in 2026 to showcase the eBee series of drones on the U.S. Department of Defense Blue UAS Cleared list:

Drone World Expo, March 3-5, 2026, at PTAK Warsaw Expo in Nadarzyn (near Warsaw), a premier event for drone technologies and unmanned systems applications.

POLSECURE, April 21-23, 2026, at Targi Kielce in Kielce, the leading international expo for public safety, critical infrastructure protection, and modern technologies for uniformed services.
MSPO (International Defense Industry Exhibition), September 8-11, 2026, also at Targi Kielce in Kielce, Central and Eastern Europe’s largest defense trade fair, drawing global leaders in military modernization.

These events offer prime opportunities to engage defense, government, and security stakeholders amid Poland’s accelerated push for advanced UAS solutions.

For more information about EagleNXT UAS solutions, to schedule a demonstration, or to connect at upcoming events, visit EagleNXT.com.

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GA-ASI Develops Long-Range Weapons Capabilities for MQ-9B

Wednesday, February 25th, 2026

Industry Leading UAS Expands Mission Roles To Include Naval Strike

SAN DIEGO – 23 February 2026 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is developing the addition of long-range standoff weapons to its top-of-the-line MQ-9B SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian®.

Demand continues from naval and air warfighters for platforms that can hold targets at risk from great ranges, especially over the expanses of air and water in the Western Pacific. That’s why GA-ASI engineers have begun the work of adapting MQ-9B’s payload, stability, range and other features to accommodate the new generation of extended-range precision weapons.

“MQ-9B continues to impress in the field and we keep adding to our global customer list,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “We want to continue to build value in the aircraft by expanding into more missions. MQ-9B features extraordinary payload capacity, so it only makes sense to add to our mission sets with the ability to carry long-range weapons.”

So far, GA-ASI has performed all the performance analytics and is confident in MQ-9B’s ability to carry long-range weapons over long distances, while providing a measure of persistence and endurance. Company engineers and others continue to refine the technical aspects of this integration and potential concepts of operation, eyeing weapons such as the Lockheed Martin Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile and Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, as well as the Kongsberg/Raytheon Joint Strike Missile.

GA-ASI plans to fly at least one of these new weapons as early as 2026.

Hypothetically, a mission profile might look like this: MQ-9Bs could launch from a number of friendly bases in the Western or Southern Pacific, fly to a hold point and loiter there outside a hostile power’s weapons engagement zone. If the order came to release the weapons, the aircraft could launch them in coordination with other U.S. or allied operations.

In addition to the SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian models, MQ-9B also includes the Protector RG Mk1 that is currently being delivered to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF). GA-ASI also has MQ-9B procurement contracts with Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, Japan, Poland, Taiwan and the U.S. Air Force in support of the Special Operations Command. MQ-9B has also been featured in various U.S. Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, RIMPAC, and Group Sail.

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