GA-ASI has completed a full-scale fatigue test equivalent to 40,000 operating hours of flying on an MQ-9B RPA marking a crucial step in validating the airframe system’s design.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) achieved a significant milestone by completing full-scale fatigue testing of an MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). This test, equivalent to 40,000 operating hours, marks a crucial step in validating the airframe system’s design. It is part of the certification process to the NATO standard STANAG 4671, where the aircraft undergoes testing through three lifetimes, confirming its 40,000-hour airframe lifetime.
The comprehensive fatigue test involves subjecting the assembled airframe to repeated structural loading, simulating the aircraft’s design service. This process helps identify potential structural deficiencies before fleet deployment, contributing to the development of inspection and maintenance schedules. Results from this test form essential documentation for certification and serve as the foundation for in-service inspections of structural components.
MQ-9B is GA-ASI’s most advanced RPA, encompassing models like SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian, along with the new Protector RG Mk 1 currently being delivered to the U.K. Royal Air Force.
Chris Dusseault, Vice President of MQ-9B in Europe, GA-ASI said, “Full-scale fatigue testing is an integral part of validating the airframe design and a key input to the certification of the airframe prior to going into service. The completion of the fatigue test builds confidence for our MQ-9B customers that the SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian airframe meets the stringent design rigor and is a mature system at Entry into Service.“
Years of design and analysis efforts have culminated in this validation process, representing the first of three lifetimes of testing for the airframe. Two lifetimes simulate normal aircraft operation conditions, while the third involves intentional damage to critical components, demonstrating the airframe’s resilience to operational damage that may occur during its lifetime.
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The testing, conducted from Dec. 13, 2022, to Dec. 5, 2023, took place at Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research in Wichita, Kan. The production airframe used for testing was purpose-built to support this extensive test campaign, showcasing GA-ASI’s commitment to ensuring the reliability and durability of the MQ-9B airframe.
