General Atomics News

FlightGlobal

High activity

GA-ASI, Raytheon UK, BAE/Boeing/Saab and Leonardo move to refresh UK strike, training and precision-munitions capacity

General Atomics is pursuing expanded strike roles for the MQ-9B and its Gambit integration via deals with Kongsberg and MBDA. Meanwhile, Raytheon UK unveiled Red Kite—an affordable sovereign precision munition built on the Stormbreaker airframe. BAE, Boeing and Saab also signed to advance a UK Hawk replacement built around Boeing’s T-7 training system, as Leonardo presses LEO and missile-defense programs alongside an Indonesian M-346F fighter sale.

Reuters

High activity

Farnborough day one: Riyadh Air books 34 widebodies, Boeing sees a 150-plus order flurry as Airbus counters

Riyadh Air placed orders for 34 additional widebody aircraft on the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, scaling commitments with Airbus and Boeing months after launching scheduled passenger service. Separate reporting pegged Boeing’s opening-day tally at nearly 150 orders, with Airbus countering later, while Pratt & Whitney and British Airways secured the first major deals of the day.

AINonline

General Atomics Do228 NXT demonstrator debuts at Farnborough as upgraded twin-turboprop

General Atomics is showcasing the Do228 NXT demonstrator at the Farnborough Airshow, highlighting an updated cockpit and cabin on the modernized twin-turboprop airframe. The debut positions the program for the next phase of utility mission readiness following its demonstrator testing work.

Aviation Today

DIU and U.S. Air Force partner on MQ-9A Reaper follow-on to replace $50M-class UAVs

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is collaborating with the U.S. Air Force on a project intended to replace the General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper. Depending on payload configuration, the Reaper platform can cost up to $50 million apiece, making the follow-on effort a significant procurement and modernization undertaking.

FlightGlobal

Uncrewed mission momentum: General Atomics MQ-9B named “gold standard” for High North operations as Boeing’s MQ-25 Stingray resu

Defense experts have formally designated the General Atomics MQ-9B as the “gold standard” platform for intelligence and combat operations in the High North. Separately, Boeing’s MQ-25A Stingray uncrewed carrier-based tanker has returned to sea aboard the USS Nimitz, with deck-handling trials last performed in 2021.

The War Zone

Senators urge MQ-9 Reaper fleet buildup by 2028 as the platform expands persistent airborne early warning

U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee members want the Air Force to grow its MQ-9 Reaper fleet by 2028, citing the drone’s value in Operation Epic Fury. The push follows renewed emphasis on Reaper’s economical, radar-enabled persistent airborne early warning role.

DefenseNews.com

Rheinmetall and General Atomics explore transatlantic co-production of Vektrex 155mm precision-guided long-range fires

Rheinmetall and General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems signed an MoU at Eurosatory 2026 to explore cooperative production of Vektrex, a manoeuvring 155 mm precision-guided munition, aimed at allied long-range artillery modernisation. GA also unveiled Vektrex, Bullseye cruise missile and railgun projectile concepts at the show, positioning them for future co-production deals.

Aviation Week

High activity

USAF awards production contracts for first Collaborative Combat Aircraft fleet: GA-ASI FQ-42A and Anduril YFQ-44A

The U.S. Air Force awarded production contracts to General Atomics (GA-ASI) and Anduril for the first operational fleet of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), assigning GA-ASI to produce the YFQ-42A and Anduril to manufacture the YFQ-44A. The move transitions the program from prototype development to full-scale manufacturing of semi-autonomous loyal-wingman aircraft.