The MQ-X, the unmanned system that will replace the US Air Force’s General Atomics MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, must be survivable, weather tolerant, modular, upgradable with plug-and-play intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) options and have flexible communications, according to Col. James Gear, director of the USAF’s UAS task force.
Speaking at a recent conference in Washington, Gear said that the new UAS, now several years into the requirements definition phase of programme planning, will also have to be capable of both strike and ISR missions, and have commonality with the US Navy’s future unmanned carrier-launched surveillance and strike aircraft. The design should be flexible enough to accommodate new upgrade “requirements [that are not] fully defined or funded” at the present moment, the colonel said.
Hello,
Just wondering if there is any news, updates, or articles on who is most likely to secure the military’s approval on taking full responsibility for the MQ-X (General Atomics, Lockheed, Boeing, etc).
Thank you,
Patrick Burnett