General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has received a $26.6 million modification from the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center exercising an option in a previously awarded sole-source contract for the United Kingdom’s MQ-9A Contractor Logistics Support Phase IV Program.
GA-ASI will continue to deliver support services for the Royal Air Force MQ-9 Reaper program under the modification. Work will occur in Poway, California, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30.
According to previous daily awarded contracts briefs from the Pentagon, the company provides the British MQ-9As with a wide range of support services under the Foreign Military Sales transaction, including depot repair and life cycle sustainment and technical support.
According to the GA-ASI website, the MQ-9A Reaper is based on the Predator remotely piloted aircraft. The drone can fly for over 27 hours at speeds of up to 240 KTAS and altitudes of up to 50,000 feet. It is designed to carry multi-mission payloads weighing up to 3,850 pounds, including electro-optical/infrared systems, maritime surveillance radar, laser designators and various weapons.
The MQ-9A Reaper is equipped with Honeywell’s TPE331-10 turboprop engine, improved engine performance and fuel efficiency, a fault-tolerant flight control system, and triple redundant avionics system architecture, GA-ASI said.