General Atomics Wins Contract for Red 5 Project to Develop Advanced Air-to-Air Autonomy on MQ-20 Avenger.

On July 31, 2024, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announced it had been awarded a $98 million contract to serve as the Lead Systems Integrator for the Red 5 project, an initiative overseen by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (OUSD) and implemented by the Test Resource Management Center (TRMC). This ambitious project aims to prototype advanced autonomous air-to-air capabilities to simulate adversary training profiles, or "red air," to enhance fighter readiness.
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Avenger can operate at speeds up to 400 KTAS, at an altitude of over 50,000 feet, and 20+ hours of endurance (Picture source: General Atomics)

As part of this project, GA-ASI will deploy two of its company-owned MQ-20 Avenger Unmanned Aircraft Systems, along with mission autonomy software. This software will integrate cutting-edge sensors, data links, and other advanced mission systems. The Red 5 project is designed to prototype complete autonomous air-to-air missions, enabling fourth and fifth generation "Blue Force" fighters to train against robust autonomous platforms serving as red air surrogates.

The MQ-20 Avenger is an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Production and initial acquisition of the MQ-20 began in the early 2010s, and the platform was quickly put into service. Primarily designed for reconnaissance and precision strike missions, the MQ-20 Avenger features stealth capabilities, including a reduced radar cross-section and internally stored payloads.

This UAV is equipped to carry a variety of munitions and sensors, allowing for a wide range of missions such as surveillance, target acquisition, and electronic warfare. The MQ-20 operates at high altitudes and is equipped with advanced avionics and satellite communication systems, making it a versatile and valuable asset for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks in contested environments.

Jeff Hettick, Vice President of Agile Mission Systems at GA-ASI, highlighted the company's ongoing commitment to investing in and deploying their open architecture autonomy ecosystem integrated with top-tier mission systems. This partnership with TRMC is expected to significantly enhance the success of Blue Force missions in realistic air-to-air training scenarios by creating operationally relevant red air surrogates.

The Red 5 project continues GA-ASI's work on unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) initiatives, including autonomy and mission system tests on MQ-20 Avengers, as well as the XQ-67A developed by GA-ASI for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The project also includes prototype production and flight testing as part of the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program.