On April 13, 2024, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) conducted live-fire tests of its Mojave Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) which successfully destroyed static targets, marking a significant milestone for the demonstrator aircraft and validating its battlefield relevance.
During the demonstration, GA-ASI collaborated with Dillon Aero to attach two of Dillon’s DAP-6 Gun Pod Systems onto the Mojave aircraft. The UAS flew across two flights, performing seven passes and expending around 10,000 rounds of ammunition to shred a variety of targets.
“Seeing our Mojave perform this live-fire demo really emphasizes the versatility of the Mojave UAS and what it can do,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “Mojave has the ability to act as a sensor, shooter, and sustainer while mitigating threat environments and vulnerabilities and safeguarding human lives.”
Mojave, with its short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability, has generated significant interest in the military and aerospace communities due to its unique features. This unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has a significant payload capacity and can operate in areas that were once considered unsuitable for UAS operations. Its ability to take off and land from unimproved landing sites at short distances, as well as operate from aircraft carriers, has captured the imagination of many and changed expectations about how large unmanned systems can be used.
In November 2023, Mojave was part of a demonstration with the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy where it operated from an aircraft carrier. The live-fire demonstration took place at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, and was funded through GA-ASI’s internal research and development budget.
The Mojave technical demonstrator shares common systems and components with GA-ASI’s modernized Gray Eagle 25M, effectively providing an expeditionary Gray Eagle STOL capability. GA-ASI is also planning to offer a wing kit option for Gray Eagle and for the larger MQ-9B aircraft, which includes SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian® models.
The actual Mojave STOL UAS with multi-mission payloads will be showcased in GA-ASI’s booth (#792) at the Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit in Denver, Colorado, from April 24-26, 2024.
