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General Atomics’ MQ-9B passes full-scale second lifetime fatigue test

15th October 2024 - 14:30 GMT | by Lucy Powell

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Testing of the MQ-9B was conducted between 31 January 2024 through to 30 September 2024 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo: GA-ASI)

The MQ-9B is General Atomics' most advanced remotely piloted aircraft. The fatigue test was the second of three lifetimes of testing for the aircraft, the equivalent of 80,000 hours.

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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