General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) recently set a new endurance record for its updated Avenger Extended Range (ER) system.
The company announced the system flew 23.4 continuous hours in what it called “a representative intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance configuration while carrying out a simulated reconnaissance mission”.
The flight took place on January 24- 25, but was only announced early in April. GA-ASI said it exceeded the flight test goal of 20 hours and was a tenhour improvement in the endurance of the baseline Predator C Avenger.
The Avenger is designed to carry payloads such as the all-weather GAASI Lynx multimode radar and MS- 177 electro-optical/infrared sensor. Like the legacy Avenger, the Avenger ER has a 3,000lb (1,360kg) payload bay, but it has a higher maximum take-off weight of 19,500lb (8,845kg) thanks to a co-cured composite centre wing, heavyweight landing gear and a new hybrid linear antilock brake system. Mark Broadbent
