General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
announced at IDEX that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Golden Group as part of the United Arab Emirates’ desire to generate premier ISR capability.
The MoU will allow GA to market its Predator XP UAS to be brought into service with the UAE armed forces. The agreement will initially focus on provision of surveillance variants of the UAS, as opposed to weapon-carrying platforms currently in service with the US Air Force, but it will also consider further interests in the wider Middle East.
Designated XP for the export variant of Predator, the UAS could be fitted with Lynx Synthetic Aperture Radar, EO/IR payloads and satellite and line of sight communications. Similar to the USAF’s original RQ-1 Predator, XP is designed for ‘persistent ISR and is capable of carrying up to 450lb in payload at altitudes up to 25,000ft.
IGG will be involved in programme management and logistical solutions for Predator XP. GA has been working with IGG for some years now, as part of an agreement to sell its ‘Griffin Eye’ manned ISR solution to the UAE and Middle East. Having been licensed for sale to Middle East countries for three years, GAAS said it was still ‘in discussions’ with various countries, including the UAE.