Pentagon contracts for 'surge support' for MQ-9 Reaper drones

The Department of Defense announced a contract award to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems this week for support on the MQ-9 Reaper drone.

The deal, worth more than $39.5 million under the terms of a undefinitized contract action, enables General Atomics to provide "surge support" for contractor-owned and operated MQ-9 Reapers attached to U.S. Marine Corps Task Force Southwest operations occurring under the authority of U.S. Central Command.

MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles are designed to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and have the capability to strike enemy targets.

Work on the contract will occur in Arizona and California, as well as U.S. Central Command areas of operation, and is expected to be complete in November 2018.

More than $19.3 million will be obligated to General Atomics at time of award -- the funds will be allocated from Navy fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance accounts.

All of the obligated funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year in September, the Pentagon said.

Related Links
UAV News - Suppliers and Technology

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

Chip upgrade helps miniature drones navigate
Boston MA (SPX) Jun 20, 2018
Researchers at MIT, who last year designed a tiny computer chip tailored to help honeybee-sized drones navigate, have now shrunk their chip design even further, in both size and power consumption. The team, co-led by Vivienne Sze, associate professor in MIT's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), and Sertac Karaman, the Class of 1948 Career Development Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, built a fully customized chip from the ground up, with a focus on ... read more