Mon, Dec 02, 2019
Operates Predator B/MQ-9 Aircraft On Request From CAL FIRE
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is supporting the California Air National Guard (CA ANG) as they provide real-time reconnaissance for California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) firefighting operations in Southern California.
CA ANG’s 163rd Attack Wing routinely performs aerial reconnaissance for firefighting missions using their Predator B/MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Aircraft upon request by CAL FIRE. The GA-ASI manufactured RPA includes the company’s Lynx Multi-mode Radar with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to detect fire lines even through smoke-filled skies. The Multi-Spectral Targeting System provides the Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) cameras with live high-definition color and infrared video feeds to ground command posts. This 24x7 real-time imagery delivers critical situational awareness to both ground and air fire suppression operations.
“Providing support for natural disasters is just one more way to utilize our aircraft,” said Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI. “GA-ASI is always pleased to know our products can and will assist when these kinds of situations occur.”
Operations of the 163rd are based at March Air Reserve Base (ARB) in Riverside, Calif. and are deployable throughout Southern and Central California. CA ANG, the United States Air Force (USAF) and GA-ASI have created a joint backup plan to launch and recover CA ANG MQ-9 aircraft when takeoff or landing at March ARB is not feasible due to operational constraints, such as weather.
On October 25, 2019, while CA ANG was providing reconnaissance support to CAL FIRE, Santa Ana winds prevented recovery of the 163rd Air Attack Wing’s MQ-9 to March ARB. GA-ASI ground crew members, in partnership with on-site USAF aircrew at General Atomics’ Gray Butte Flight Test Facility near Palmdale, Calif., recovered, serviced and refueled the aircraft, then re-launched it. This allowed the CA ANG MQ-9 to resume its fire support mission, minimizing a gap in coverage. This is the second time flexible support between these three agencies has resulted in seamless CAL FIRE coverage.
(Image provided with GA-ASI news release)
More News
Aero Linx: JAARS Nearly 1.5 billion people, using more than 5,500 languages, do not have a full Bible in their first language. Many of these people live in the most remote parts of>[...]
'Airplane Bounced Twice On The Grass Runway, Resulting In The Nose Wheel Separating From The Airplane...' Analysis: The pilot reported, “upon touchdown, the plane jumped back>[...]
"Burt is best known to the public for his historic designs of SpaceShipOne, Voyager, and GlobalFlyer, but for EAA members and aviation aficionados, his unique concepts began more t>[...]
"Polaris Dawn, the first of the program’s three human spaceflight missions, is targeted to launch to orbit no earlier than summer 2024. During the five-day mission, the crew >[...]
There Are SO Many Ways To Get YOUR Aero-News! It’s been a while since we have reminded everyone about all the ways we offer your daily dose of aviation news on-the-go...so he>[...]