Proves Maturity of Open Architecture Approach

The US Army Unmanned Aircraft System Project Office and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) successfully conducted the first flight test of a new Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) ground segment for the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) UAS, the company announced on 18 October.

Part of the Army-funded development efforts to upgrade and modernise the GE-ER, the new   Ground Modernization Software Suite (GMSS) was hosted on an Army prototype of a Gray Eagle Miniature Mission Interface (GEMMI) in late September. The test demonstrated the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) multi-vendor suite that commands the automated takeoff and landing, flight modes and sensor control of the GE-ER. GA-ASI provided major software components to enable robust, safe aircraft control and conducted system integration of the overall software suite. This achievement represents a huge step forward for the Army’s MOSA efforts, by demonstrating the technical maturity of Open Architecture (OA) software to control UAS with adherence to the Army’s Scalable Control Interface (SCI) system architecture.

This event enabled critical risk reduction for the Gray Eagle 25M, which integrates new advanced datalinks, OA avionics suite, updated communications equipment, and new HFE 2.0 engine with brushless generator capabilities onto the GE-ER, with GMSS as the new control segment. GMSS will be used for all aspects of GE-25M flight testing, beginning in 2023. The GE-25M is designed for multi-domain operations with its OA avionics suite and future capabilities, which will include air-launched effects, advanced teaming, and new sensor modalities.

“GA-ASI, in partnership with the PdM EUAS and third-party vendors, is at the forefront of demonstrating the technical maturity of Army’s MOSA vision,” said GA-ASI VP of Army Programs, Don Cattell. “GE-25M showcases the Army MOSA Transformation Office-led paradigm shift in how business is done to enable high reuse and portability of capability development across the Army enterprise.”