Defence

The US Army has called for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to improve how it develops software for the MQ-1C Sky Warrior family of aircraft.

"We are working as a project management office very closely with them, and they have been very co-operative in improving those processes," says Col Greg Gonzalez, programme manager for unmanned aircraft systems. "We're very confident that shortly they will make the changes that need to be made and they'll continue to provide those quality products."

Gonzalez's comments clarify concerns raised in a government document released in August about an unrelated acquisition programme. This said that the army's contracting office for the MQ-1C programme had serious concerns about General Atomics' management, citing a tendency to over-commit on performance without consideration for the company's production capacity.

But asked about those concerns, Gonzalez praised the company's track record for delivering "very high quality products".

"The products that they have produced - even the earlier pre-production models that we've fielded and are using in theatre - have had outstanding success," Gonzalez says. "But there's always room for improvement." He adds that General Atomics' processes for developing software and predicting the software's capability have been at the root of the army's concerns.

Tim Owings, deputy UAS programme manager, adds: "At the end of the day the products have been very, very good. It's just the software processes probably need to be matured some. And they've been very co-operative in working through those issues that we outlined for them."

The MQ-1C programme has dramatically evolved since the contract was awarded in August 2005. As operational needs became more urgent, the army asked General Atomics to spin out five different versions with varying capabilities.

The army has ordered a total of 57 Sky Warrior-type aircraft, although the earliest models are slight adjustments on its MQ-1 Predator. The first of eight "Block 0" aircraft deployed last April, with this differing from the army's ultimate MQ-1C configuration by using a US Air Force ground station operated by General Atomics employees.

Another 17 Block 1 Sky Warriors, which are controlled by AAI's One System ground station, are also on order and are in various stages of modification.

Tom Cassidy, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems president, told an army aviation conference on 10 December that the army is funding development of a back-up engine for the MQ-1C with an undisclosed company. There are concerns that the bankruptcy of Thielert, the current engine supplier, could hinder production, he said.