Predator UAS Family Achieves 150K Flight Hours

UAV NEWS

Photo of a Predator carrying Hellfire missile.

San Diego (SPX) Sep 21, 2005
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has announced that the Predator unmanned aircraft system family achieved a milestone of 150,000 flight hours last month, with over two-thirds (100,000 hours) of that time spent in combat.

Predator Series aircraft are currently flying more than 5,000 hours a month and continue to maintain the highest operational readiness rates in the U.S. inventory.

"The Predator Series of unmanned aircraft systems had made a significant impact on the global war on terrorism, providing persistent ISR and full-mission capability to military users and decision-makers around the world," said Thomas J. Cassidy, Jr., president, Aircraft Systems, Group, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.

"Now with an experience base of more than 150,000 flight hours, no other UAS manufacturer can match the combat-proven, unparalleled performance and exceptional reliability of the Predator family."

Predator, the company's flagship UAS, has been operational in every U.S. conflict since 1995. Since its development in 1994, Predator's capabilities have evolved rapidly, with the Predator Series now including a variety of additional aircraft systems, including Altus, I-GNAT, Predator B, Altair, Army I-GNAT ER and Warrior.

Predator Series aircraft are in constant daily operations supporting the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Government, NASA, NOAA, Italian Air Force, Turkish Army and other customers and have been deployed in world trouble spots on five continents, including operations in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan.

UAV NEWS

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