General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced last week that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with International Golden Group, a leading Middle East weapons supplier, to offer the export version of the Predator remotely piloted aircraft to the United Arab Emirates. The US government last year granted General Atomics a license to sell Predator XP abroad. Though the XP version cannot carry weapons, it embodies the same flight characteristics and intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance competencies as the original unarmed RQ-1 Predators that the US Air Force operated. Predator XP can carry a variety of export-cleared sensors, such as General Atomics’ Lynx radar and cameras spanning multiple spectra. (See also Flight International report)
Like a new car from the dealership, an HH-60W helicopter touched down at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Nov. 2 with paperwork, a set of keys, and that fresh-from-the-factory smell. The newly activated 5th Helicopter Squadron accepted its first “Whiskey” in a brief but pomp-filled ceremony attended by the Air…