FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb 05, 2004
5 February 2004 - San Diego, California. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of unmanned aircraft systems, announced today that it has produced the one-hundredth Predator remotely piloted aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. Integrated with the most advanced command and control technology as well as the latest multi-targeting sensor package, Predator 100 represents the multi-mission Predator capabilities which are deployed in combat today supporting the U.S. war on terrorism. As one of the most reliable aircraft in the U.S. inventory, Predator 100, like its predecessors, will be flown on an instrument flight plan in National Air Space from the company’s flight operations facility in California to Indian Springs Air Force Base in Nevada for delivery to the U.S. Air Force. Predator has provided the U.S. with persistent intelligence, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance information on combat areas deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans since 1995, logging over sixty percent of all flight hours in combat. Predator is also in use by the U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force.
The U.S. Air Force is developing and building the pre-production MQ-9 Hunter Killer Predator B prop jet aircraft. The detection, tracking and strike capability of this aircraft brings a new dimension to armed reconnaissance unsurpassed by any other unmanned aircraft in the world. Predator B has demonstrated its ability to make a tremendous contribution to increase awareness along the borders of the United States during actual deployments and will continue to be a force multiplier on deployments around the world. Mariner, a variant of the Predator B, is equipped with color and infrared cameras plus a surface search radar. Mariner will allow the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and the Homeland Security organization to cost-effectively monitor the oceans areas of the world and maritime approaches to the United States.
About the Company
Founded in 1993, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. has spearheaded acceptance and set industry reliability standards for unmanned aircraft systems for military and commercial customers such as the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, NASA, Department of Energy, the Canadian Forces and several overseas governments. Leading the industry to new levels of performance and interoperability for network centric operations, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. uses proven design philosophies and the experience gained by the combat-proven Predator to develop aircraft systems which meet the performance requirements of customers worldwide. Mr. Thomas J. Cassidy, Jr. is President and Chief Executive Officer.
For more information contact:
Public Relations Department
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
+1.858.455.2294