Normal Atomics Aeronautical Techniques, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) celebrated the supply of the primary MQ-9A Prolonged Vary (ER) Unmanned Plane System (UAS) to Marine Unmanned Aerial Automobile Coaching Squadron 2 (VMUT–2). The supply of the MQ-9A ER on March 18, 2024, is a part of the Marine Air-Floor Activity Pressure (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) Program, which ordered eight MQ-9A ER UAS as a part of the ARES Indefinite-Supply/Indefinite-Amount (ID/IQ) contract.
“It’s thrilling to make this primary supply to VMUT-2, which continues to construct the connection between GA-ASI, the USMC, and NAVAIR (Naval Air Techniques Command),” stated GA-ASI vice chairman of DoD Strategic Growth Patrick Shortsleeve. “GA-ASI has been a contracted warfighting accomplice of the USMC for a number of years and VMUT-2’s skill to supply aircrews for the USMC is an amazing development within the USMC’s natural functionality.”
VMUT-2 is a UAS coaching squadron for the USMC primarily based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Level in Havelock, North Carolina.
The MQ-9A ER is designed with field-retrofittable capabilities equivalent to wing-borne gas pods and strengthened touchdown gear that reach the plane’s endurance to greater than 30 hours whereas additional rising its operational flexibility. The plane offers long-endurance, persistent surveillance capabilities with Full-Movement Video and Artificial Aperture Radar/Transferring Goal Indicator/Maritime Mode Radar. A particularly dependable plane, MQ-9A ER is supplied with a fault-tolerant flight management system and a triple-redundant avionics system structure. It’s engineered to fulfill and exceed manned plane reliability requirements.
