Kacey Roberts
General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business contributed to a U.S. Air Force flight test through the installation of an electronic warfare countermeasure pod on an MQ-9A Reaper aircraft.
GA-ASI said Thursday it integrated the Angry Kitten ALQ-167 EW pod in less than nine months as part of a cooperative research and development agreement with USAF.
Georgia Tech Research Institute delivered the jamming pod, which has flown on other defense platforms including F-16s, to the service branch.
The pod-equipped MQ-9A took its maiden flight on April 27, and USAF plans to continue flying with the pods in the next 12 to 24 months to develop tactics, techniques and procedures in support of the Joint Force and government partners.
Patrick Shortsleeve, vice president of Department of Defense strategic development at GA-ASI, commented that using the EW on the MQ-9A shows potential application of the technology on future aircraft.
