Page 14 - ADT FEBRUARY - MARCH 2021 Online Magazine

and Real-time Exploitation (STARE). This capability allows maritime system with great success. The Netherlands
patrol aircraft to act on specific vessels in the full range of maritime has also procured the MQ-9 with deliveries
operations, from search and rescue, to law enforcement to Anti- to commence in the near term. More recently,
Submarine Warfare. In a time of limited MPA resources, the ability we have received orders from Australia and
to visualize, task, correlate, and deliver the best product to deci- Belgium for our new MQ-9B SkyGuardian. We
sion-makers in a timely manner is critical to maintaining effective expect interest to rise, particularly for our mar-
control of territorial waters and exclusive economic zones (EEZs). itime ISR capability that will satisfy nations and [ INTERVIEW GA ASI ]
NATO’s military and civil requirements.
The military UAV market is a rather crowded
one, with countries such as China offering their Can you please talk about the
products at a very competitive price. How company’s technologies globally?
confident are you about your market prospects? General Atomics (GA) is a diversified tech-
GA-ASI is the global leader in UAS. Our aircraft have been a key nologies and defense company. GA and its
asset in securing the defense of the U.S. and its allies. We’re now affiliated companies operate on five continents
approaching 30 years in business and with that, we are getting and includes GA Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
ready to make our first delivery of the new MQ-9B, the world’s most (GA-ASI), a global leader in medium-altitude,
advanced unmanned aircraft. After the UK takes its first delivery of long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft
the Protector (MQ-9B variant), we’ll look forward to deliveries to systems (UAS).
Australia, Belgium and other customers. We’re also very busy on the GA-ASI produces a family of UAS that pro-
development side, bringing forward new and innovative capabilities, vide multi-domain intelligence, surveillance
such as ASW, Self-Protection Pod, and High Frequency Command and reconnaissance (ISR) products using
& Control to just name a few. All to say, GA will continue to innovate electro-optical, radar and signals intelligence
and build the value of our aircraft for our customers. sensors leveraging artificial intelligence (AI).
GA’s Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS)
produces electromagnetic aircraft launch and
SeaGuardian flights were held in Japan last year. recovery systems for the U.S. Navy, satellite
Can you please provide an update? surveillance, electromagnetic rail gun, high-
Japan’s Coast Guard recently completed successful flight testing power laser, hypervelocity projectile, and power
of the GA-ASI SeaGuardian. The flights were conducted in the conversion systems.
Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, between Oct. 15 and Nov.
10, 2020. The tests validated the maritime wide-area (MWAS) sur- GA is the principal private sector participant
veillance systems support for the Japan Coast Guard to carry out in thermonuclear fusion research through its
missions for search and rescue, disaster response and maritime law internationally recognized DIII-D and inertial
enforcement. The flight tests supported the Japan Coast Guard’s confinement programs for the U.S. Department
policy on Strengthening Maritime Security System which calls for of Energy. GA developed the University of
modernized maritime technologies to protect Japan’s sovereignty. California San Diego (UCSD) Supercomputer
Center and has constructed more than
Please expand on your recent progress with 60 TRIGA nuclear research reactors in 24
NATO countries. countries. GA is a leader in development of
next-generation nuclear fission and high-tem-
GA has been a strong supporter of NATO countries throughout perature materials technologies.
our history. We have long-standing relationships with the United
Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain, which all operate the MQ-9
How has the ongoing pandemic
impacted the company?
Like a lot of companies, we have had to adapt
the way we work to continue production and
maintain the activity of our design offices and
deployment sites in support of our custom-
ers. Except for production, flight operations
and customer-site deployment activities, we
use remote work very widely and effectively.
Individual social distancing and protective mea-
sures, like those applied throughout the world,
have helped to limit the impact of COVID in
production, logistics, and operations activities.
We believe that our measures have not only
kept our workforce protected from COVID-19
but have avoided any significant delays to our
product development and customer support.

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