General Atomics has released a new picture of its experimental Mojave unmanned aircraft armed with a variety of weapons, including a pair of Dillon Aero gun pods, each with a single fast-firing Minigun. That particular pod is part of an overall push on the part of GA-ASI to ensure that its entire product line will continue to be relevant, even in higher-end conflicts, as you can read more about here. SAN DIEGO - 10 May 2022 - To further extend the versatility of its MQ-9B line of Remotely Piloted Aircraft, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announced today that it will begin developing a short takeoff and landing (STOL)-capable MQ-9B aircraft, which includes the . General Atomics new Mojave drone flies over the Mojave Desert during tests in summer 2021. What sets the Mojave apart, specifically, is that its designed outright as a short takeoff and landing plane, expanding the kinds of terrain it can operate from. [3][4][5][6], The Mojave completed its first test flight in summer of 2021, and was formally unveiled by GA on December 9, 2021. There is also the possibility of anti-submarine warfare applications, as well. It will certainly be interesting to see how Mojave evolves as testing continues and who might publicly emerge as potential customers for the hardy drone going forward. Other American allies and partners around the world, but especially in the Pacific and in Europe, are presented with many of the same challenges and have similar requirements in support of new or otherwise evolving concepts of operations. 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Nestled in that request, as reported by The War Zone, is the desire that this new drone be attritable or expendable, unlike the Reaper, as well as, or as an alternative to being survivable and reusable.. The U.S. Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, which is already a major user of MQ-1Cs, including the GE-ER subvariant, might be another potential special operations customer. 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Smaller countries elsewhere around the world with more limited infrastructure, to begin with, could have their own interests in a very capable unmanned platform to support counter-terrorism and other lower-intensity missions. While the Mojave's avionics and flight control systems are based on those of the MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1C Gray Eagle-ER, its enlarged wings and high-lift devices make it easily distinguishable from its . Raytheon is now RTX. Mojave provides options for forward-basing operations without the need for typical paved runways or infrastructure. The aircrafts maximum endurance once airborne is up to 25 hours or more, according to GA-ASI. In addition to the sensor turret under its nose, Mojave can accommodate various sensors, such as radars with synthetic aperture imaging functionality and signals intelligence suites, and as other payloads, such as communications packages, internally. The company has put particular emphasis on the new drone's ability to carry up to 16 Hellfire missiles under its wings, but has stressed that it could carry various other weapons and stores depending on a customer's requirements. The Marines could also use Mojave in an amphibious assault ship-based close air support and strike role. Im not sure that would be the case, he said. ", Takeoff and landing, and just moving Mojave around on the ground, are all highly automated processes. Compared to the Gray Eagle, the drone's entire tricycle landing gear has been redesigned for rough field performance, including the addition of wider flotation tires designed to help it traverse sandy and otherwise loose terrain. The engine, a Rolls-Royce M250 turboprop, is mounted in a pusher configuration. The Mojave project brings together all the best of the proven technologies for employment, sustainment and production, and capability to achieve industry-leading reliability, range and endurance. Were not specifically testing gun pods, but we certainly could. The Mojave drone, only one of which has been built so far, that you can read more about here, is seen in the photograph fitted with six underwing pylons, in total, three under each wing. Instead, development shifted to a STOL design that would preserve performance while needing less runway space. GA-ASI's history in UAS technology is second to none. Its increased wing surface area allows it to carry up to 3,600 lb. In the video, we see a CGI C-130 approaching an austere location before landing. But despite not having a clear path forward to get Mojave under contract, Alexander said he is very confident the aircraft will find a buyer. Hellfire missile being loaded underneath one of Mojave's underwing pylons. Its avionics and flight control systems are built upon the revolutionary designs and systems of the MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1C Gray Eagle-Extended Range (GE-ER), parts of a fleet boasting over 7 million hours of operation, much of them in combat. Posted on 30 Dec 2022. [7] In a surveillance mode it can take off from a 300m (1,000ft) runway and stay aloft for over 20 hours, and it can perform armed ISR from a 488 m (1,600 ft) runway carrying 12 Hellfire missiles for nine hours. With the ability to carry 16 Hellfire missiles and take off and land in a dirt road, the new Mojave drone revealed today by General Atomics is designed to perform in dirty and dangerous. At the Indo-Pacific International Maritime Exhibition 2022 in Sydney, Australia, General Atomics has presented a new variant of the MQ-9B Guardian platform: the MQ-9B STOL. The video reinforces how General Atomics has specifically tailored Mojave for use out of austere operational environments. You can shorten the endurance down and carry a big load when you need to and then when you dont, you can offload it and have much longer persistence," Alexander said. Understanding the environment is the baseline for successful naval operations. Several other international customers have also expressed interest, Alexander said, but he declined to specify which countries are discussing the product with General Atomics. Mojave with its impressive STOL capabilities and a large payload could be very useful in that context, where roads might become more readily available runways. It can then be ready for a mission in around 1.5 hours with a four-person team. But in a much broader context, Mojave fits directly with the aforementioned USAF's Agile Combat Employment (ACE) and Marine Corps Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concepts of operation that are becoming major focuses of both services. [1], Development on the Mojave began around 2018 or 2019. First unveiled on December 9, 2021, General Atomics states that it is to fulfill the roles of reconnaissance, close air support and armed overwatch. When it comes to actually controlling the drone, GA-ASI is leveraging its Scalable Command and Control (SC2) system, which it has been developing for the U.S. Army. These same kinds of unmanned aircraft could provide useful persistent surveillance and force protection capabilities in rear areas, as well. I think the future of homeland defense looks vastly different than it does today, NORTHCOM/NORAD Commander Gen. Glen VanHerck said Thursday. Were the same. The developer has incorporated the avionics and . [2] The initial objective was to create a drone that could perform vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), but this was determined to be impractical as significant compromises in payload or endurance would need to be taken. General Atomics has grand ambitions for its newest UAV Mojave and is backing itself to secure orders from SOF operators. Panning to the interior of the C-130s cargo bay, we then see a four-person team unloading Mojave before setting to work on its assembly. An MQ-1C assigned to Company E, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment on display in 2013.. An artist's conception of a Gray Eagle Extended Range carrying various payloads including smaller air-launched drones and a self-protection pod.. Mojave on the runway during a recent flight test., Joint Precision Approach and Landing System. It is fully capable of beyond line-of-sight operations as well using satellite datalinks. However, he and Alexander declined to say specifically who they have been talking to already about Mojave. General Atomics' Predator line has evolved steadily since the drones were used in support of the U.S. war effort following the 9/ . To get the total takeoff and landing roll down to 300 to 400 feet would likely require a more limited payload package focused on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions and with a fuel load offering less than five hours of endurance. We think this is a very efficient way to get you persistence and get it somewhat runway independent.. Air Forces hunter-killer UAV now flying in Afghanistan, is how the Air Force announced the use of Reapers in that country in May 2007. Mojang Studios was founded by Markus Persson, a Swedish independent video game designer and programmer, in 2009. It has a wider chord and generally broader dimensions, which Alexander likened to that of a crop duster, compared to the wings on the Gray Eagle or the improved Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER). This all seems even more fitting since General Atomics' two flight test facilities, El Mirage and Grey Butte, are situated along dirt roads in the Mojave. The company says that its improved short-field performance would also make it suitable for carrier-based operations without any need for a catapult to launch it or arresting gear during recovery. Of course, things like the total distance necessary to take off and land, as well as the drone's range and endurance, would vary depending on its configuration. Avenger, Lynx, Predator, SeaGuardian and SkyGuardian are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. A prototype aircraft first flew this summer and is continuing to demonstrate exceptional short-field performance and other unique qualities. Landing is as simple as pressing a button, too. Heres what that means for its defense arm. Copyright 2023 General Atomics. Precision-guided weapons are far more common armament options for drones like Mojave, but gun pods could be useful for armed overwatch missions. However, it ditches the MQ-1C's tail in favor of one that is more like that of the MQ-9. STOL capability increases the number of employment options, potentially including aircraft carrier-based options, unlocking naval missions and sea-based support for special operations forces. A short takeoff and landing (STOL) ability expands the number of airfields that a drone can fly from, and is a feature sought after when the drone still needs to fly even if traditional runways cannot be built or seized in time. The War Zone has reached out to GA-ASI for more information about the work that it has already done to add Dillon's gun pods as an armament option for Mojave, as well as how it sees those weapons being employed in an operational context. It doesnt even look like it should be flying, its going so slow," GA-ASI's President Alexander said. All told, Mojave, though derived from an existing General Atomics design, represents a very interesting new direction for the company. The original idea behind Mojave officially disclosed today, about a month after Breaking Defense first reported on it was to build a drone that special operators could take into austere conditions that had a larger payload than the companys MQ-1C Gray Eagle used by the Army, said Dave Alexander, president of General Atomics aeronautics business. Published Dec 28, 2021 2:00 PM EST. Is it six months away? This is a software-based ground control system that requires only limited hardware, such as a Toughbook-style ruggedized laptop tied into a line-of-sight datalink on the ground. Contact the authors: oliver@thewarzone.com, tyler@thedrive.com. First unveiled on December 9, 2021, General Atomics states that it is to fulfill the roles of reconnaissance, close air support and armed overwatch. We are providing the ground force with a long-endurance, armed overwatch UAS that can quickly reload weapons at austere sites, located close to the conflict zone. That doesnt mean we should rule out the idea of a gun pod for future UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] missions, including Armed Overwatch-type missions. SAN DIEGO - 10 May 2022 - To further extend the versatility of its MQ-9B line of Remotely Piloted Aircraft, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announced today that it will begin developing a short takeoff and landing (STOL)-capable MQ-9B aircraft, which includes the SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian models. It is the next step in UAS evolution, delivering unprecedented expeditionary short-takeoff and landing (STOL) performance, C-130 airlift transportability and a significant increase in firepower -- without compromising any of the significant advantages in endurance, persistence, or aircrew safety over manned aircraft. It's certainly an interesting armament option for an unmanned platform intended to support expeditionary and distributed operations, including special operations forces, from austere sites with semi-improved surfaces serving as runways. However, it features some unique improvements . One major selling point of the new aircraft is its ability to take off and land from semi-improved airfields at short distances about 400 feet when equipped with an ISR package and about 1,000 feet when taking off with a full complement of 16 Hellfire missiles. The Mojave has been in development for around two and half years now as a private venture. He had gained interest in video games at an early age, playing The Bard's Tale and several pirated games on his father's Commodore 128 home computer, and learned to programme at age eight with help from his sister. (General Atomics). Two main things that set this aircraft apart from the rest of the Predator family are its wings and landing gear. 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