MOJAVE: It will get dirty

On August 1, 2023, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) conducted several successful takeoffs and landings with the unmanned aerial system MOJAVE on an unpaved runway near El Mirage, California.

The ability to take off and land on unpaved runways demonstrates that MOJAVE overcomes the dependence of traditional fixed-wing aircraft on prepared runways. This new capability provides greater versatility and allows the aircraft to operate in areas that were previously considered unsuitable for UAS use.

Like the MQ-1C Gray Eagle and the MQ-9 Reaper, MOJAVE is a technical demonstrator aircraft with STOL capabilities that make it a versatile expeditionary UAS. MOJAVE follows the principles of the Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) and leverages the modernized avionics, data links, sensor integration, and laptop ground control station from GA-ASI's Gray Eagle 25M program. These features make the system ideal for operating in semi-optimized areas with minimal ground support footprint.

MOJAVE offers options for frontline deployment without typical airport runways or infrastructure, allowing it to be rapidly deployed and recovered from non-traditional, discreet locations. To extend its operational range, MOJAVE can be installed into a C-130 and quickly assembled and deployed. These innovations make MOJAVE ideal for conducting reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA), strike, and logistical support missions in combat scenarios.

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GA-ASI MOJAVE online