9 million flight hours: A look at General Atomics UAS platforms
September 23, 2025
Driven by its Predator, Reaper, and Gray Eagle families of UAS, General Atomics’ fleet of uncrewed aircraft has now passed 9 million flight hours. GA-ASI is currently securing contracts for more of its Reaper family, while rapidly developing a next-generation CCA for the US Air Force.
General Atomic’s uncrewed fleet passes 9 million flight hours
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announced that its aircraft have passed a total of 9 million accumulated flight hours since the company was first founded some 33 years ago.
These hours are from its complete fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, including the Predator, Reaper, Gray Eagle, Avenger, and the MQ-9B Sky Guardian and its naval SeaGuardian counterpart. The primary role of these aircraft is typically long-endurance surveillance.
According to GA-ASI, there are as many as 50 of its drones flying at any one time. Many of its drones have been exported to US allies around the world.
Meet the General Atomic’s UAS platforms
General Atomics’ drones have been the mainstay of the US Air Force and the US Army’s advanced uncrewed systems for decades. That said, the USAF also operates various other types of uncrewed ISR platforms like the Lockheed Martin RQ-170 and rumoured RQ-180 built by the contractors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, respectively.
Early GA-ASI platforms included the 1980s Gnat aerial reconnaissance UAS, which was later developed into the Altus. But it has been the MQ-1 Predator family of systems that brought GA-ASI fame.
The MQ-1 Predator and its enlarged MQ-9 Reaper successor became iconic of the Global War on Terror, firing Hellfire missiles in surgical strikes. Meanwhile, the smaller MQ-1C Gray Eagle was developed to suit the requirements of the US Army.
The MQ-9 Reaper has proven popular on the export market, being upgraded to the MQ-9B Guardian family of aircraft. These are used for everything from maritime surveillance to patrolling the US border by the US Customs and Border Protection.
We're not just talking about innovation — we're delivering it. YFQ-42A collaborative combat aircraft represents decades of experience and innovation in jet-powered #UCAV technology. And it's ready today.
— General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) (@GenAtomics_ASI) September 5, 2025
Read more: https://t.co/WYx3pr8VKM#FighterFriday #YFQ42A pic.twitter.com/Ehi3ZMUmjA
GA-ASI developed the MQ-9 into the longer-ranged, turbofan engine-powered MQ-20 Avenger. The Avenger incorporates low-visibility features (stealth) and includes an internal weapons bay. It first flew in 2009, and the US military appears to have purchased them in low numbers for valuation purposes.
Looking forward to next-gen CCA
General Atomics’ aircraft were mostly designed for surveillance in permissive environments, although some have a strike ability in permissive environments. The proliferation of air defence, with the Yemeni Houthis shooting down numerous Reaper drones in the last couple of years, has limited the conflicts where they are still survivable.
Going forward, GA-ASI is developing the next generation of unmanned aircraft for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. In March 2024, General Atomics, along with Anduril, was selected over Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin to move forward with the CCA program.
Lockheed offered the Air Force a ‘gold-plated’ demonstrator concept for the CCA program. The Air Force rejected that in favour of more affordable solutions. Lockheed continues to believe the Air Force will require an advanced, stealthy, CCA design and has just unveiled its higher-end Vectis concept that it plans to fly in two years.
YFQ-42A collaborative combat aircraft represents decades of experience and innovation in uncrewed jet-powered technology. Enabled by GA-ASI’s expertise in advanced autonomy, control systems and human-machine interfaces, #YFQ42A is the future of air superiority.
— General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) (@GenAtomics_ASI) July 24, 2025
Read more:… pic.twitter.com/9nejm0kTut
The YFQ-42A prototype, based on the XQ-67A demonstrator, first flew in mid-2025 and helped push it past the 9 million flight hour milestone. The new aircraft takes advantage of General Atomics’ existing advanced MQ-20 Avenger UAS.
The GA-ASI says the YFQ-42A is built for rapid production, in large quantities, and at an affordable price. GA-ASI is eyeing export sales to rapidly rearming European countries and has announced it will build the YFQ-42A in Germany.
