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Marine Corps Achieves Flight Milestone With General Atomics-Built UAS

1 min read

The U.S. Marine Corps has recorded over 20,000 flight hours with its MQ-9A medium-altitude, high-endurance unmanned aircraft system.

USMC has received eight MQ-9A UAS from General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business and uses two of the systems in operational missions, the company said Monday.

MQ-9A serves as the service’s Marine Air-Ground Task Force Unmanned Expeditionary or MUX platform. The service expects to receive 12 additional drones to meet its goal of having three squadrons in place by 2025.

GA-ASI President David Alexander said USMC’s acquisition of MQ-9A reflects its commitment to building up its aerial surveillance capabilities.

USMC expects to run a fleet of MQ-9A Extended Range systems equipped with new landing gear, wing-borne fuel pods, full-motion video, moving target indicator/maritime mode radar and a synthetic aperture radar to provide long-endurance surveillance and situational awareness capabilities.