General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. announced major upgrades for its MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles to ensure more resilience against cyber threats and anti-aircraft missile systems. These upgrades are considered paramount in retaining the operating effectiveness of USSOCOM and AFSOC.
First is the onboard cyber anomaly detection and predictive maintenance solutions that Shift5 will provide. This deal with the US cybersecurity startup will harden the Reapers against hostile code that might cripple the drones or compromise priceless intelligence information. We underscore that the Shift5 platform provides critical operation and cybersecurity insights, thereby enabling operators to act fast and confidently. It is deployable both on-premise and in the cloud and allows for streaming and air-gapped modes for offline/online capabilities.
In addition to cyber defenses, MQ-9A Reapers will carry a new Airborne Battlespace Awareness and Defense pod. The ABAD pod is specially designed to detect and neutralize RF and IR threats associated with anti-aircraft weapons. When operational, the ABAD pod will extend the early warning capability of Reapers over ground threats and effectively respond to them. “Threat awareness and survivability are critical for MQ-9A to operate in contested environments,” said David R. Alexander, President of GA-ASI. The ABAD pod will offer real-time threat awareness and defensive measures.
The ABAD pod is still in the development stage and is expected to become operationally ready by 2025. This development is part of a larger effort to address recent issues that have plagued the MQ-9A Reapers in recent times. Over the years alone, several of these Reapers have been shot down by hostile forces, from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to Russian aircraft over the Black Sea. The apparent string of incidents contributed to growing pressure to advance defensive capabilities onto the drones themselves to enhance survivability in contested environments.
The MQ-9A Reaper has already demonstrated its flexibility in a wide range of operational situations. These new upgrades are essential, nevertheless, in ensuring the platform remains relevant and effective for contemporary warfare. Additionally, in terms of versatility, the Reaper gets raised a notch with the Extended Range (ER) variant, whereby wing-borne fuel pods and heavy-duty landing gear extend endurance from 27 to 34 hours.
That collaboration by GA-ASI and Shift5 underlines a very important aspect: the integration of advanced cybersecurity measures into military systems. Josh Lospinoso, CEO and co-founder of Shift5, commented on how real-time data access would become a factor in maintaining an operational advantage in the future battle space. The Shift5 platform offers deeper operational data and cybersecurity insights, enabling operators to move from data analysis to decisive action.
The ABAD pod will feature advanced electronic warfare technology supplied by BAE Systems, while Leonardo DRS has been contracted for its AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure System, DAIRCM. These two systems provide the MQ-9A with state-of-the-art sensory capability to detect and counter RF and IR threats for maintaining survivability in a high-threat environment.
These improvements to the MQ-9A Reaper show a continuing effort to keep relevant against both conventional and asymmetric threats. As unmanned systems become integral to military operations, the need to ensure that such systems are robust against cyber attacks and physical compromise is of great importance if operational viability is to be maintained and essential military capabilities preserved.