With a flying endurance of more than 25 hours, Mojave is America’s newest combat drone. Mojave is an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) designed by the American firm “General Atomics”. General Atomics also designed the MQ-1A Reaper, MQ-1B Sea Guardian, and MQ-1C Gray Eagle.
This UCAV is based on its MQ-1C Gray Eagle ER and has been designed to operate from rough airfields. Moreover, This drone is designed to carry 16 Lockheed Martin AGM-114 hellfire missiles. Mojave Drone is powered by a Rolls Royce M250 engine.
It has the ability to give armed support to ground forces. To combat interference and jamming risks, the aircraft is equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) and a satellite communication (SATCOM) datalink with anti-jam technologies. The advanced datalink provides line-of-sight (LOS) and beyond-LOS (BLOS) capabilities.
The ground support equipment of the Mojave UCAV can be self-ferried or transported using a UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter. Moreover, this drone has an internal fuel capacity of about 3,350 lb.
Specifications of Mojave Drone:
- Wingspan: 52 ft (16m)
- Length: 29 ft (9m)
- Maximum Endurance: 25+ hr
- Fuel Capacity: 3,550 lb (1610 kg)
- Takeoff Distance (ISR): 400 ft (122m)
- Takeoff Distance (12 Hellfires): 1,000 ft (304m)
- Runway Condition: Semi-improved
- Max Gross Takeoff Weight: 7,000 lb (3175 kg)
- Fuel Capacity: 3,550 lb (1610 kg)
- Useful Load: 3,600 lb (1633 kg)
- Weapons: Up to 16 Hellfire Missiles
