The Air Force awarded General Atomics Aeronautical Systems a $43.3 million contract for retrofit kits for MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft, according to the Pentagon. The retrofit kits include new heavyweight landing gear; newer bomb rack technology for increased safety, reliability, and redundancy; and improvements for the dissemination of data collected by the aircraft’s sensors, company spokeswoman Kimberly Kasitz told Air Force Magazine. The company will provide the retrofit kits by July 2017, states the contract announcement, which is included in the Defense Department’s Jan. 6 list of major contracts. The Pentagon did not disclose the number of retrofit kits covered by the contract.
PHOTOS: Air Force Shows Off Second B-21 in New Images
Sept. 12, 2025
On Sept. 12, the Air Force released half a dozen new photos of the second B-21 bomber to fly, giving observers and aviation enthusiasts another glimpse of the secretive Raider.
