General Atomics to Provide Air Force Special Ops MQ-9 Software

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $34,028,813 order (0014) from basic ordering agreement FA8620-15-G-4040 to develop and field the Air Force Special Operations Command MQ-9 Medium Altitude Long Endurance Tactical (MALET) Lead-Off Hitter (LOH) software line. Contractor will establish, define and grow a process to rapidly field capabilities. Included in this effort is addressing activities driving software changes such as: software defect corrections; threats, policy or doctrine driven; safety; interoperability; and software changes resulting from hardware upgrades. Work will be performed at Poway, California; Clovis, New Mexico; and Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, and is expected to be complete by February 28, 2018. Fiscal 2016 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $11,898,735 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.