General Atomics is developing an improved variant of its jet powered Avenger unmanned ISR/Strike aircraft, featuring an increased endurance...
General Atomics is developing an improved variant of its jet powered Avenger unmanned ISR/Strike aircraft, featuring an increased endurance.
With an increased wingspan of 76 feet, Improved Avenger will extend the aircraft's endurance from 15 hours to 20 hours.
GA plans to begin flight testing of the Improved Avenger in October 2016.
Improved Avenger will provide an optimal balance of long loiter ISR and precision-strike capability, supporting a wide array of sensors and weapons payloads to perform high-speed, long-endurance, multi-mission ISR and ground support missions.
GA has recently completed successful flight tests of a Avenger equipped with a MS-177 Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor manufactured by UTC Aerospace Systems.
This long-range imaging capability is more technically advanced than the SYERS 2 flying on U-2 aircraft and also is significantly more affordable to manufacture.
During the U.S. government-funded testing, Avenger demonstrated its ability to collect high-resolution imagery of land-based and littoral objects with the MS-177 sensor at altitudes above 37,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL).
A total of seven test flights occurred between January and February 2016 at Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, Calif.
The improved endurance will thus increase utility of MS-177 over a longer period of time
Avenger is powered by a Pratt and Whitney PW545B turbofan engine capable of producing 4,800 pounds installed thrust. It can operate at speeds up to 400 KTAS and at a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet.
Its significant payload capacity enables it to carry multiple sensors, while its internal weapons bay can house 3,500 pounds of precision munitions.
The first flight of Avenger occurred in April 2009. The design was rejected by U.S. Air Force citing marginal improvement over the propeller driven MQ-9 Reaper. USAF operates over 400 Reaper UAVs in unmanned strike and surveillance roles around the globe.
With an increased wingspan of 76 feet, Improved Avenger will extend the aircraft's endurance from 15 hours to 20 hours.
GA plans to begin flight testing of the Improved Avenger in October 2016.
Improved Avenger will provide an optimal balance of long loiter ISR and precision-strike capability, supporting a wide array of sensors and weapons payloads to perform high-speed, long-endurance, multi-mission ISR and ground support missions.
GA has recently completed successful flight tests of a Avenger equipped with a MS-177 Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor manufactured by UTC Aerospace Systems.
This long-range imaging capability is more technically advanced than the SYERS 2 flying on U-2 aircraft and also is significantly more affordable to manufacture.
During the U.S. government-funded testing, Avenger demonstrated its ability to collect high-resolution imagery of land-based and littoral objects with the MS-177 sensor at altitudes above 37,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL).
A total of seven test flights occurred between January and February 2016 at Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, Calif.
Avenger is powered by a Pratt and Whitney PW545B turbofan engine capable of producing 4,800 pounds installed thrust. It can operate at speeds up to 400 KTAS and at a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet.
Its significant payload capacity enables it to carry multiple sensors, while its internal weapons bay can house 3,500 pounds of precision munitions.
The first flight of Avenger occurred in April 2009. The design was rejected by U.S. Air Force citing marginal improvement over the propeller driven MQ-9 Reaper. USAF operates over 400 Reaper UAVs in unmanned strike and surveillance roles around the globe.
