GA-ASI and USN Test Expanded Sonobuoy Dispensing System For MQ-9B SeaGuardian(R)
13.1.2026 19:00:00 CET | ACCESS Newswire | Press release
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / January 13, 2026 / General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Navy continue to expand the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability of the MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). Flight test was performed on December 17 and featured Sonobuoy Dispensing System (SDS) pods, more than previously tested, doubling the number of sonobuoys available.
"Expanding sonobuoy capacity, including Multi-static Active Coherent (MAC) technology for SeaGuardian, has been an integral part of our advanced ASW strategy to broaden and enhance search areas," said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. "The wider maritime coverage our MQ-9B's ASW capability provides is extremely valuable to our customers."
Sonobuoys are naval sensors that drop from an aircraft into the ocean and help detect submarines. The SeaGuardian deployed AN/SSQ-36 Bathythermal, AN/SSQ-53G Directional Frequency Analysis and Recording (DIFAR) (passive), and AN/SSQ-62F Directional Command Activated Sonobuoy System (DICASS) (active) buoys. This was the first time Multi-static Active Coherent (MAC) buoys have been dispensed from an uncrewed aircraft. The MAC buoys are better at detecting submarines over large areas and require fewer buoys compared to using DIFAR and DICASS.
Sponsored by the U.S. Navy, the flight tests were specifically aimed at certifying the SDS. This flight testing supports the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet's Operational Evaluation deployment to SEVENTH Fleet and enjoyed additional support and governmental supervision from the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) AIRWorks.
Upon completion of the testing and data review, the U.S. Navy is expected to give GA-ASI deployment flight clearance for ASW operations using MQ-9B SeaGuardian in January 2026.
SeaGuardian has also been used by the U.S. Navy in various recent exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, RIMPAC, and Group Sail.
About GA-ASI
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., is the world's foremost builder of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Logging more than 9 million flight hours, the Predator® line of UAS has flown for over 30 years and includes MQ-9A Reaper®, MQ-1C Gray Eagle®, MQ-20 Avenger®, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian®. The company is dedicated to providing long-endurance, multi-mission solutions that deliver persistent situational awareness and rapid strike.
For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com.
Avenger, EagleEye, Gray Eagle, Lynx, Predator, Reaper, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., registered in the United States and/or other countries.
CONTACT:
GA-ASI Media Relations
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
ASI-MediaRelations@ga-asi.com
(858) 524-8101
SOURCE: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
Subscribe to releases from ACCESS Newswire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from ACCESS Newswire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from ACCESS Newswire
New GTDC Research Details Distribution's Influence on AI, Cloud and Hyperscaler Sales and Adoption3.3.2026 16:00:00 CET | Press release
IT distributors have become digital ecosystem orchestrators that unify cloud, AI, hyperscaler, and subscription-based business models. Distribution significantly accelerates vendor growth while reducing risk, allowing suppliers to scale efficiently, expand partner bases, enter new markets and mitigate financial and operational liabilities. Digital platforms are creating a new GTM "operating system". These systems offer end-to-end digital commerce and intelligence layers to manage procurement, billing, lifecycles and analytics. TAMPA, FL / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / The Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC), the world's largest consortium of technology distributors, has released a new research report, Distribution: The Digital Force Multiplier. Developed by CommCentric Solutions, this study examines how IT distribution has transformed and continues to evolve into a critical enabler of cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), hyperscaler and platform-driven business models acr
Datavault AI Reports Significant Institutional Ownership Growth as Platform Expansion Accelerates3.3.2026 14:08:00 CET | Press release
PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / Datavault AI Inc. ("Datavault AI" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:DVLT), a provider of data monetization, credentialing, digital engagement, and real‑world asset tokenization technologies, today highlighted a marked increase in institutional ownership alongside continued commercial expansion across media and enterprise markets. Between the fourth quarter of 2025 and February 2026, several major asset managers significantly expanded their positions in Datavault AI. According to recent public filings, Vanguard increased its holdings from approximately 393,000 shares to 11.8 million shares. State Street expanded from roughly 335,000 shares to 10.0 million shares. BlackRock increased its position from approximately 136,000 shares to 4.1 million shares. These changes represent percentage increases of approximately 2,900%, 2,800%, and 3,000%, respectively. Management views this increase in institutional participation as support for Datavault AI'
AccessPay Partners With PayPoint to Strengthen Fraud and Error Prevention for Corporate Payments3.3.2026 10:00:00 CET | Press release
MANCHESTER, UK / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / AccessPay, the leading bank integration provider, today announced a new partnership with PayPoint to integrate PayPoint's Confirmation of Payee (CoP) capability into AccessPay's payments automation suite for modern finance teams. With £258m lost to authorised push payment (APP) fraud in the first half of 2025 alone, organisations need access to robust payment controls that scale with their operations.1 PayPoint's CoP offering enables AccessPay's customers to verify payee account details as part of their payment workflows, reinforcing AccessPay's position at the centre of a growing ecosystem of technologies designed to automate and de-risk the Office of the CFO. CoP, also known as Account Name Verification (ANV), is a valuable anti-fraud measure that checks the accuracy of payee details before funds are sent. It can be used to confirm payee details at the point of collection, when creating a payment instruction, or both. PayPoint's CoP
Affiliate of Pacific Avenue Capital Partners to Acquire Care.com from IAC3.3.2026 01:00:00 CET | Press release
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 2, 2026 / Pacific Avenue Capital Partners ("Pacific Avenue"), a Los Angeles-headquartered private equity firm focused on corporate carve-outs and other complex transactions in the middle market, today announced that an affiliate of Pacific Avenue has entered into an agreement to acquire Care.com from IAC Inc. (NASDAQ:IAC). Care.com is a leading platform and brand in the growing $400 billion market for family care, anchored by the largest online network of background-checked child and senior caregivers in the U.S. Care.com operates both a scaled consumer marketplace and an enterprise benefits platform. Since 2007, more than 45 million people have turned to Care.com to find child care, senior care, pet care and housekeeping support. Care.com also partners with more than 700 employers, including many of the Fortune 100, to deliver care-related benefits that combine access to the Care.com platform and comprehensive backup care solutions provided in
Stagwell Launches Stagwell Search+: The Industry's First Agentic Platform To Win AI Search2.3.2026 14:30:00 CET | Press release
New media solution enables brands to win discoverability, visibility, positive sentiment, and outcomes across major AI systems NEW YORK, NY AND LONDON, UK / ACCESS Newswire / March 2, 2026 / Stagwell (NASDAQ:STGW), the global challenger network transforming marketing through AI, today announced the global launch of Stagwell Search+, the industry's first agentic platform for AI Search experiences. Built by Assembly, Stagwell's global omnichannel media agency, in partnership with Emberos, the operating system for AI visibility, Stagwell Search+ is a category-defining solution to master the transition from traditional search engines to AI search experiences. As Large Language Models (LLMs) increasingly mediate how people discover, compare, and choose, Stagwell Search+ helps brands optimize not just for clicks and traffic, but for a new era of search where AI guides decisions and the goal is to be chosen. The solution combines an agentic platform with a differentiated framework that improv
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom