Sunday, November 23, 2008

GNAT

IOC: 1994

Unitary Cost: USD$2.6 million

Also Known As
GNAT-750
I-GNAT
I-GNAT ER
IGNAT
Sky Warrior Alpha (I-GNAT ER)

Origin
United States of America

Contractor/s
General Atomics

Description: General Atomics GNAT is a long endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) which serves as a surveillance and reconnaissance platform. It was introduced by the US Army in 1994 carrying electro-optical payloads such as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Electronics Support Measures (ESM), Electronic Countermeasures (ECM), etc. This UAV flight endurance is 40 to 50 hours flying at 25,000-ft (7,600+ meters) of altitude. The original model, GNAT-750, was replaced by the Improved GNAT or I-GNAT.

GNAT/IGNAT were deployed during operation Iraqi Freedom performing combat missions over Iraq since 2003. In March 2004, the US Army introduced I-GNAT ER variant which was optimized for combat missions. Since the GNAT entry into service with the US Army this unmanned aerial system (UAS) has logged more than 10,000 combat flight hours on more than 868 combat missions.

Specifications
Accommodation: Unmanned

Weights: Payload 91 kg (201 lb)

Performance: Ceiling 7,620 m (25,000 ft), Endurance 50 hours

News
First US Army I-GNAT ER UAS Achieves 10,000 Flight Hours

Operators

United States of America

Image Gallery

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Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Saturday, November 22, 2008

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