Testing of the MQ-9B was conducted between 31 January 2024 through to 30 September 2024 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo: GA-ASI)
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has completed a full-scale fatigue test of the MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The test airframe was a production aircraft, purpose-built to support the ongoing test campaign.
According to GA-ASI, the test was a ‘second lifetime’ of fatigue testing, a crucial part of the aircraft’s certification to NATO standard STANAG 4671 where it must be tested through three lifetimes, proving its expected 40,000-hour lifetime.
The MQ-9B is an upgraded version of the MQ-9A designed for ISR missions. It is split into two variants: the SkyGuardian and its maritime sibling, the SeaGuardian. It has improved hardware
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