Australian Defence Force Selects GA-ASI’s MQ-9B for Project Air 7003
5.12.2019 04:28:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the world’s leading manufacturer of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), has been advised that the Australian Government has selected GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian® variant to provide the Armed RPAS for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) under Project Air 7003. This follows the Government’s announcement in November 2018 that GA-ASI would provide Armed RPAS to the ADF. The ADF expects to take first delivery in the early 2020s.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191204005989/en/
The Australian Government selected GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian® variant to provide the Armed RPAS for the Australian Defence Force under Project Air 7003. (Photo: Business Wire)
“We have worked closely with the ADF to determine the right RPAS to meet their needs,” said Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI. “MQ-9B will provide the all-weather, multi-mission support, and interoperability that the ADF requires. We look forward to working closely with our Australian industry partners to provide a highly capable RPAS to the ADF, while creating high-tech jobs in Australia.”
The ADF joins other top-tier military forces in choosing a GA-ASI RPAS because of its proven multi-role combat performance. MQ-9B is part of GA-ASI’s Predator® series of RPAS, which is the world’s most trusted and capable armed Medium-altitude, Long-endurance (MALE) RPAS, and hails from a family of aircraft that has flown more than six million flight hours.
The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) is acquiring the MQ-9B as part of its Protector RG Mk1 program and is scheduled for first delivery in the early 2020s. The Government of Belgium has approved Belgian Defense to negotiate for the acquisition of MQ-9B to meet the nation’s RPA requirements.
MQ-9B development is the result of a five-year, company funded program to deliver an unmanned aircraft system to meet the stringent airworthiness type-certification requirements of NATO and civil aviation authorities throughout the world. MQ-9B is provisioned for the GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid (DAA) system, which consists of air-to-air radar, Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II), and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). The MQ-9B is built for all-weather performance with lightning protection, damage tolerance, and de-icing system.
GA-ASI announced its intention to offer a MALE RPAS to the ADF during AVALON 2017 with the launch of Team Reaper Australia, a robust group of Australian industry partners. The team currently consists of ten world-class Australian companies providing a range of innovative sensor, communication, manufacturing and life-cycle support capabilities including Cobham (lead industry partner), CAE, Raytheon, Flight Data Systems, TAE Aerospace, Quickstep, AirSpeed, Collins Aerospace, Ultra, and SentientVision.
Hi-resolution images of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian are available to qualified media outlets from the GA-ASI media contact list.
About GA-ASI
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator® RPA series and the Lynx® Multi-mode Radar. With nearly 6 million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent flight that enables situational awareness and rapid strike. The company also produces a variety of ground control stations and sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas. For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com.
Predator, SkyGuardian and Lynx are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191204005989/en/
Contact information
Steven Henden
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
+1 (858) 524-8101
ASI-MediaRelations@ga-asi.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Exeon Analytics expands management team for next growth phase2.9.2026 11:00:00 EEST | Press release
Exeon Analytics is expanding its management team with two new roles. Wayne Jennings takes on the newly created position of Chief Solutions Officer, and Johan Roman becomes Chief Revenue Officer. The appointments fall in the company’s anniversary year, ten years after its founding as an ETH Zurich spin-off, and create the structure for the next growth phase. Exeon Analytics delivers holistic security analytics for organizations facing growing blind spots, encrypted traffic and regulatory pressure. Wayne Jennings joined Exeon Analytics in July 2024 and initially led Support and Engineering. As Chief Solutions Officer, he is responsible for the technical customer lifecycle, from pre-sales and proof of concept through implementation to long-term technical account management, and for the technical enablement of partners. Before joining Exeon Analytics, he was a Senior Manager in Cybersecurity & Privacy at PwC Switzerland, focusing on threat intelligence and incident response. Johan Roman br
euroAtlantic Airways Expands Long-Haul Fleet With a New Airbus A330-300 Aircraft2.9.2026 10:00:00 EEST | Press release
euroAtlantic Airways (“EAA”), a Njord Partners portfolio company and a leading Portuguese aircraft wet-leasing and charter business, is pleased to announce the induction of a new Airbus A330-300 aircraft into its fleet, further strengthening its long-haul widebody capabilities and reinforcing the Company's growth trajectory in the ACMI and charter markets. The Airbus A330-300 is leased from Jackson Square Aviation (JSA). Only 15 years old, the aircraft is configured in a three-class layout of Business, Premium Economy and Economy, accommodating a total of 290 passengers, and features full lie-flat seating in Business Class along with personal in-seat entertainment monitors fitted across the entire cabin. The aircraft, which will be registered as CS-TGI after completing its normal process of approval with authorities, has already completed its delivery journey, departing Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and arriving into Beja, Portugal (BYJ) on 17 August 2026. This aircraft type is known for its effi
Interoperability and Trust Key to AI Commerce: Alipay+ and S&P Global Report2.9.2026 09:33:00 EEST | Press release
A new report by Alipay+, the unified wallet gateway of Ant International, in partnership with S&P Global, reveals a growing "commerce digitalisation gap", with people increasingly expecting seamless mobile payments and intelligent digital assistance, yet friction – from inconsistent payment acceptance to trust in AI – still define their experience. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260901394299/en/ The study, which surveyed 6,000 consumers across nine markets in Asia, Europe and the US on their cross-border spending habits, points to a major shift underway in global commerce — one where e-wallets, AI and interoperable digital ecosystems are becoming foundational to how consumers discover, transact and engage across borders. Key findings: Travel exposes gaps in global commerce infrastructure: More than half of consumers cite uncertainty around merchant acceptance (53%) or lack of access to preferred payment metho
Kontoor Brands Unveils Helly Hansen Growth Strategy and 2030 Financial Targets2.9.2026 09:30:00 EEST | Press release
Kontoor Brands, Inc. (NYSE: KTB) today announced Helly Hansen’s long-term growth strategy and 2030 financial targets, which Kontoor Brands will present at the Helly Hansen® Investor Day later today. The plan is designed to scale Helly Hansen globally while significantly expanding its profitability through 2030. "With 150 years of technical heritage and an authentic right to win globally, Helly Hansen is a brand with tremendous long-term growth potential," said Scott Baxter, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Kontoor Brands. "Strong alignment between our teams has allowed us to integrate quickly and move straight to executing against the opportunity ahead. Our sustained investment in Helly Hansen will be a catalyst for its next phase of growth, and we are confident in our ability to deliver significant value for our consumers, employees and shareholders for years to come." A Focused Growth Strategy: To deliver against these targets, Helly Hansen’s growth is anchored in
Axelspace Announces Partnership with Airbus Defence and Space to Deliver Satellite Imagery to a Broader Market2.9.2026 09:30:00 EEST | Press release
Axelspace Corporation (“Axelspace”), a leading microsatellite company committed to making “Space within Your Reach,” announced today a new agreement with Airbus Defence and Space, a global leader in Earth observation including optical and radar satellite imagery, to provide mid-resolution optical images captured by Axelspace’s Earth observation microsatellites “GRUS.” Under this strategic partnership, we will develop and deliver innovative solutions that meet long-term customer needs for utilizing satellite imagery. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260901360086/en/ GRUS is Axelspace's series of approximately 100 kg-class optical Earth observation microsatellites. GRUS-1 is currently operated as a four-satellite constellation, delivering high-frequency, wide-area imagery. This imagery, together with value-added solutions derived through processing and analysis, supports a broad range of industries, including agr
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom