Boeing has secured a registration number from the Federal Aviation Administration for its proposed unmanned aircraft system for the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based tanker drone program, FlightGlobal reported Thursday. The company received Dec. 26 the FAA registration number N234MQ for its proposed “T1” drone prototype. Boeing previewed its demonstrator for the MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling tanker program […] More

The U.S. Navy has issued the final request for proposals on a carrier-based unmanned aerial refueling tanker to four contractors, USNI News reported Tuesday. Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Atomics received the RFP for the air segment of the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker last week, the report noted. The Navy will require the companies to develop […] More

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business has conducted the first test flight from its new Flight Test and Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota. GA-ASI deployed a Block 5 Predator B/MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft which flew approximately 1,075 nautical miles in Class A civilian airspace, General Atomics said Monday. The Federal Aviation Administration granted a […] More

Several government contracting industry leaders have commended President Donald Trump’s move to sign a memorandum on China’s trade practices. The White House memo would authorize the U.S. trade representative to decide whether to conduct an investigation into China’s alleged theft of U.S. intellectual property, The Hill reported Monday. “Safeguarding our intellectual property against nation-state sponsored […] More

The Center for a New American Security has launched a new project that aims to analyze how the U.S. joint force should adapt to technological innovations of potential state and non-state adversaries. CNAS said Monday the Evolving the Future Force project is part of the center’s Defense Strategies and Assessments program and seeks to explore the […] More

The state of North Dakota and Harris have entered into a partnership agreement to develop a platform that will work to support beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations for unmanned aircraft systems. Harris said Tuesday it received a two-year grant from the North Dakota Centers of Excellence Commission to create aviation-grade network services for UAS BVLOS operations. The company will also work with the […] More

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded a series of phase one contracts to four companies for proposals to develop unmanned air systems that can be recovered while in flight and are reusable. DARPA said Thursday it selected General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems unit, Lockheed Martin, Dynetics and Composite Engineering to develop launch and recovery techniques, airframe designs, digital […] More

Gene Colabatistto, CAE‘s group president for defense and security, has said the company is eyeing new unmanned aircraft programs as it aims for a bigger share of the pilot training services market, National Defense Magazine reported Thursday. Sandra Erwin writes CAE has helped the U.S. Air Force train around 1,500 aircrews a year to operate General Atomics-built Predator […] More

The U.S. Army has asked industry about available smaller weapons that the military service can integrate onto its fleet of General Atomics-built MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft systems, Flightglobal reported Wednesday. James Drew writes the Army’s existing Gray Eagles are built to launch up to four 106-pound Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. “We would like increased range,” […] More

NASA and three aeronautical technology firms have collaborated to demonstrate the collision avoidance functions of an Ikhana unmanned aerial system at the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards, California. Ikhana worked to alert a remote pilot or maneuvered itself to avoid approaching aircraft while it flew over California’s high desert region, NASA said Thursday. […] More

A new Strategic Defense Intelligence report projects the global unmanned aerial vehicle market’s compound annual growth rate at 5.66 percent from 2015 through 2025, with autonomous combat vehicles to dominate the market. The report predicts North America and Europe to account for more than 67 percent of the UAV market over the next 10 years, ReportsnReports […] More

Chris Pehrson serves as director of strategic development for General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Inc., where he is responsible for business acquisition strategies to promote company’s unmanned aircraft systems, tactical reconnaissance radars and sensor systems in U.S. and international markets. Pehrson joined the company in 2010 after service in the U.S. Air Force, where he commanded an operations group and two […] More