{"id":57946,"date":"2021-12-09T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/12\/09\/general-atomics-unveils-new-unmanned-aircraft-named-for-harsh-american-desert\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:19:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:19:21","slug":"general-atomics-unveils-new-unmanned-aircraft-named-for-harsh-american-desert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2021\/12\/09\/general-atomics-unveils-new-unmanned-aircraft-named-for-harsh-american-desert\/","title":{"rendered":"General Atomics unveils new unmanned aircraft named for harsh American desert"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Reaper- and Gray Eagle-maker General Atomics<\/a> Aeronautical Systems unveiled on Dec. 9 its newest unmanned aircraft system \u2014 Mojave \u2014 capable of handling much greater payloads and taking off and landing using short, undeveloped surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mojave essentially takes a Gray Eagle fuselage and adds enlarged wings with high-lift devices and a Rolls Royce 450-horsepower turboprop engine. The UAS is based on the avionics and flight control systems of the MQ-9 Reaper<\/a> and the MQ-1C Gray Eagle-Extended Range, General Atomics representatives told reporters in a Dec. 8 briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis started back when we were thinking of how to be runway independent,\u201d General Atomics Aeronautical Systems President David Alexander said during the briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The services \u2014 in particular, the Army \u2014 have been looking at unmanned aircraft that are not runway dependent<\/a>. The Army has embarked on replacing its smaller class Shadow UAS<\/a> with a new tactical UAS that can take off and land vertically with no need for a runway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe looked at vertical takeoff-and-landing and, you know, the issues of being able to do that with a useful load this meaningful … that can carry you a useful set of sensors or useful set of weapons, whatever, but having that useful load and doing vertical takeoff and landing, it\u2019s just mission impossible,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cYou\u2019re just fighting physics and you end up with something that doesn\u2019t persist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mojave \u201ctakes advantage of the high-lift wing with leading edge slats and double-slotted flaps and extra horsepower to do the job and we think this is a very efficient way to get you persistence and get it somewhat runway independent, meaning it\u2019s got flotation tires on it and an extra strong landing gear,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company tried a variety of ways to address the VTOL challenge, but to achieve a payload capacity even a Gray Eagle can\u2019t accommodate now, it came up with a more expeditionary solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mojave\u2019s payload capacity is 3,600 lbs and it can carry up to 16 Hellfire missiles, for example. Other payload options are electro-optical\/infrared, synthetic aperture radar\/ground moving target indicator and signal intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur original idea was Armed Overwatch type missions and, you know, [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] as well and so you could offload weapons and just do an ISR only and have much longer endurance as well, but it\u2019s expeditionary, a dirt road would do with this,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the company envisions a role for Mojave in attack and armed reconnaissance missions as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Particularly addressing the way the Army envisions using the aerial tier in future fight, Mojave could be focused on a standoff mission, Alexander said, which is something the extended range Gray Eagle is already focused on. Gray Eagle is demonstrating this capability<\/a> at events like Project Convergence and Edge 21.<\/p>\n\n\n\t