General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is enhancing the capabilities of its MQ-9A Reaper drones with two key upgrades to bolster its defenses against sophisticated cyber-attacks and anti-aircraft missile threats.
As these remotely piloted aircraft become integral in modern warfare, their resilience against emerging threats is paramount.
The upgrades are a response to recent incidents, including the downing of a Reaper by Houthi rebels in Yemen and a confrontation with a Russian Su-27 fighter jet, which resulted in a collision and the loss of the drone over the Black Sea.
These events underscore the critical need for advanced defenses to maintain the operational integrity and effectiveness of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in contested environments.
GA-ASI’s strategic partnership with American cybersecurity startup Shift5 aims to equip the MQ-9A Reaper with advanced cyber anomaly detection and predictive maintenance solutions.
This initiative will protect the drones from malicious software attacks that could compromise their functionality or siphon off sensitive intelligence data.
The Shift5 platform will provide crucial operational insights, allowing operators to make swift, informed decisions regarding the drone’s security and readiness.
“The Shift5 platform reveals critical operational and cybersecurity insights that enable operators to move from data to decisions quickly and confidently,” stated GA-ASI.
It can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud, ensuring versatile support for both online and offline operations.
In parallel with cyber enhancements, the Reaper will also receive a new Airborne Battlespace Awareness and Defense (ABAD) pod.
This technology is designed to detect radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) signals often used by anti-aircraft systems to target aircraft.
David R. Alexander, GA-ASI President, emphasized the significance of the ABAD pod, noting that “Threat awareness and survivability are critical for MQ-9A to operate in contested environments.”
With the ABAD pod, the drone will be capable of early threat detection and rapid engagement of ground-based missile threats. The pod is currently under development, with a projected operational date of 2025.
The MQ-9A Reaper, primarily operated by the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), has been on Ukraine’s weapons wish list.
However, Washington has been cautious about providing the Reapers to Kyiv, fearing the risk of them being downed by Russian defenses, similar to previous incidents.
Relevant articles:
– Major MQ-9A Reaper Drone Upgrades to Fight Cyber, Anti-Aircraft Threats, The Defense Post
– Major MQ-9A Reaper Drone Upgrades to Fight Cyber, Anti-Aircraft Threats, newsbreak.com
– Drone sales, missile collaboration and new C2: Japan, US tighten defense ties, Breaking Defense
– General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI)