Normal Atomics Aeronautical Programs, 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 Car 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 Programs Command),” stated GA-ASI vp of DoD Strategic Improvement Patrick Shortsleeve. “GA-ASI has been a contracted warfighting companion of the USMC for a number of years and VMUT-2’s capability to supply aircrews for the USMC is an incredible 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 reminiscent of wing-borne gasoline pods and strengthened touchdown gear that stretch the plane’s endurance to greater than 30 hours whereas additional growing 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. An especially 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 satisfy and exceed manned plane reliability requirements.
