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
The Rock-It Company Expands to Abu Dhabi, Strengthening the Capital’s Position as a Global Hub for Luxury, Culture, and Major Events11.7.2026 19:12:00 EEST | Press release
The Rock-It Company (Rock-It), one of the world’s leading providers of specialist logistics for time-critical and high-value sectors across live events and luxury goods, has expanded its footprint in the UAE to Abu Dhabi, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). The expansion in the region brings Rock-It’s portfolio of renowned brands to the UAE capital to support Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming a world-leading destination for luxury experiences, cultural attractions, and global events, while reinforcing the emirate’s position as a regional re-export hub and advanced logistics base. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260710305177/en/ Through the collaboration, Rock-It seeks to develop world-class bonded storage and logistics facilities designed to serve the group’s five core end markets: sports, live entertainment, fine art, film & television, and luxury automotive. Once complete, Rock-It’s faci
L&T Technology Services Global EI Hackathon Sparks the Next Wave of AI-Native Engineering Solutions11.7.2026 14:35:00 EEST | Press release
L&T Technology Services (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS), a global leader in Engineering Intelligence Solutions & ER&D Consulting Services successfully concluded Engineering Intelligence (EI) OpenHack 2026, a first-of-its-kind global innovation challenge conducted simultaneously across nine locations spanning India, the U.S. and Europe. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260711573331/en/ LTTS Global EI OpenHack at the Munich office The hackathon brought together nearly 4,000 engineers (770+ teams) from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Vadodara, Mumbai, Dallas and Munich to tackle complex engineering challenges through AI-led innovation. More than 500 challenge statements were aligned with company’s strategic growth priorities, spanning Software Defined Mobility, Plant Buildout & Modernization, Energy & Automation, Next-Gen Compute & AI Infrastructure, Digital Manufacturing, MedTech, and Software Platforms & A
Samos Energy Acquisition Corporation Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering10.7.2026 16:32:00 EEST | Press release
Samos Energy Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) announced today the pricing of its initial public offering (“IPO”) of 20,000,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit. The units will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and trade under the ticker symbol “SAMO.U” beginning on July 10, 2026. Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant, with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and warrants are expected to be listed on the NYSE under the symbols “SAMO” and “SAMO.WS,” respectively. Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. is acting as the sole book running manager for the proposed offering. The Company has granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units at the IPO price. The public offering is being made
Onera hPSG ® Wins Prestigious Red Dot Product Design Award10.7.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
Onera Health, a leader in transforming sleep medicine, announces that its innovative product, Onera hPSG®, has been honoured with the prestigious Red Dot Product Design Award for 2026. This international recognition celebrates exceptional design quality and underscores Onera Health's commitment to excellence, creativity, and patient-centric innovation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260710266668/en/ Onera Health's patch-based home polysomnography solution, Onera hPSG®, wins Prestigious Red Dot Product Design Award 2026. The Red Dot Award, one of the most sought-after seals of quality for good design, attracted thousands of entries from around the globe. Onera hPSG® stood out for outstanding functionality, striking aesthetics, and thoughtful user experience. The expert jury praised the product for translating complex sleep diagnostics into a wearable, easy-to-use system that enables low-threshold application.
teamLab Biovortex Kyoto Welcomes Over 1 Million Visitors within 9 Months of Opening10.7.2026 10:00:00 EEST | Press release
teamLab Biovortex Kyoto has welcomed over 1 million visitors as of July 6, 2026, 9 months after its grand opening. (*1) These visitors arrived from more than 150 countries and regions. International visitors account for approximately 42% of the total. Many of these international visitors travel from distant countries and regions, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Approximately 30% of these international visitors purchase their tickets at least 30 days in advance. teamLab Biovortex Kyoto is teamLab's largest museum in Japan, with an average visitor stay of over two and a half hours. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260709913938/en/ teamLab Biovortex Kyoto Welcomes Over 1 Million Visitors within 9 Months of Opening *1 According to ticket purchase data from the official teamLab Biovortex Kyoto website (survey period: October 7, 2025 – July 6, 2026) Visitors Comment (M
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