General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced that the Sky Warrior remotely piloted aircraft that it is building for the Army has entered low-rate initial production. Clearing the way for this milestone was the receipt of about half the funds of a $399 million contract for 34 Sky Warriors. “The timing of this contract award is ideal as it allows [the company] to enter into low-rate production on Sky Warrior at the same time that Predator A production is concluding,” said Frank Pace, president of the company’s Aircraft Systems Group. Predator A is the Air Force’s MQ-1. The Air Force is transitioning from it to the more-capable MQ-9 Reaper RPA. It opted not to pursue Sky Warrior with the Army. Sky Warrior is based on a modified MQ-1 airframe with enhancements like the ability to carry four Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, versus two on MQ-1.
In the wake of a major Chinese military shakeup, the head of U.S. Space Command warned of China’s “breathtakingly fast” advances in space during visits to Japan and South Korea. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting’s trip to the Indo-Pacific is his first overseas visit since taking command of SPACECOM in January.