GA-ASI Completes Significant MQ-9B Fatigue Test

On September 30, 2024, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) achieved a milestone by completing full-scale fatigue testing on its MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft. The test covered a "second lifetime," equivalent to 80,000 operating hours. This marks an important step for NATO's STANAG 4671 certification, which will eventually test the aircraft through three lifetimes. These tests are crucial for validating the airframe's design.

The fatigue tests involve repeated structural loading to foresee and rectify potential issues, aiding in the setting up of maintenance schedules. The MQ-9B, GA-ASI's advanced RPA, includes the SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian® models, with deliveries underway to the UK Royal Air Force.

Conducted at Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research, the tests bolster confidence in MQ-9B’s reliability. Contracts for MQ-9B have been secured with Belgium, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and the U.S. Air Force, among others.