Robotics

Gen5 partners with GA-ASI to embed tech in MQ-9A Reaper

Defense technology firm Shift5 has partnered with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., to embed Shift 5 onboard cyber anomaly detection and predictive maintenance capabilities into the MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle.

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May 9, 2024

Defense technology firm Shift5 has partnered with General Atomics Aeronautical System Inc., to embed Shift 5 onboard cyber anomaly detection and predictive maintenance capabilities into the MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle for the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), according to a press release.

"GA-ASI has long maintained a focused commitment to unmanned combat operations and unmatched unmanned aircraft system (UAS) experience, exemplified through our MQ-9A Reaper," David R. Alexander, president at GA-ASI, said in the release. "The next logical and immediate extension of our work in enabling the U.S. Air Force is empowering AFSOC and SOCOM with additional resiliency and survivability of the MQ-9A on the battlefield. Shift5 represents a new class of dual-use defense tech business that can successfully operate at speed and scale with us to make an immediate impact for the warfighter."

"The battlefield of the future will include more remotely piloted, autonomous, and unmanned systems. Central to maintaining advantage in this operating environment is access to real-time data," Josh Lospinoso, CEO and co-founder at Shift5, said in the release. "Our work with GA-ASI represents one of the most efficient and effective ways that AFSOC and SOCOM can gain access to critical operational and cybersecurity insights, democratize that data, and maintain decision dominance."