General Atomics to Update Air Force MQ-9 RPA Configuration

A General Atomics business unit has received a $37M contract modification from the U.S. Air Force to incorporate force and vortex functions onto the fiscal 2017 configuration of the the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. will perform work under the modification through July 31, 2021, at a company facility in Poway, Calif., the Department of Defense said Thursday.

The Air Force originally awarded GA-ASI a $296M contract in late March 2018 previously awarded to produce Reaper vehicles.

MQ-9, also called Predator B, is equipped wit a flight control system and an avionics system architecture. The platform is designed to comply with manned aircraft reliability standards.