Category Archives: Military UAS

China Expands UAV Testing and Production Capabilities

China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics has inaugurated a new production facility in the eastern province of Zhejiang

The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA) – the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) development arm of defence prime China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) – has expanded its domestic production capabilities with a newly commissioned automated manufacturing facility in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, in eastern China. Continue reading →

General Atomics Owner Joins Forbes 400

Neal Blue  is a brand new member of The Forbes 400. Blue, 84 (estimated net worth $4.1 billion), who as chairman and 80% owner of San Diego-based defense contractor General Atomics (his brother Linden, 83, owns the other 20%, worth another billion) first introduced the Predator drone into the skies 25 years ago to surveil Serbian forces during the Clinton administration. Continue reading →

Indonesia Launches Domestically-Built Armed UAV

State-owned Indonesian aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) unveiled a domestically developed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on December 30. Designed to meet the requirements of the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU), the UAV bears a strong resemblance to the Chinese CASC CH-4, which is in operation with the TNI-AU in small numbers. The vehicle has yet to be named but is referred to as the Pesawat Udara Nir Awak jenis Medium Altitude Long Endurance (PUNA MALE, unmanned MALE aircraft). Continue reading →

US Navy Buys Three MQ-4 Tritons

MQ-4C Tritons at a Northrop Grumman test facility in Palmdale, California

The US Navy awarded Northrop Grumman a $251.6 million contract modification to build three low-rate initial production MQ-4 Triton reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft is massive for unmanned aerial vehicles – wingspan of 130.9 feet and length of 47.6 feet, according to a Naval Air Systems Command fact sheet. Continue reading →