San Diego’s General Atomics Launches Unmanned Aircraft That Relies On A.I.
By Rebekah Gonzalez
March 4, 2022
A San Diego company unveiled a new unmanned aircraft on Thursday, March 3. According to the Times of San Diego, the new aircraft will succeed the iconic Predator series that has been used throughout the world.
The San Diego-based General Atomics aeronautical systems division said the new jet-powered "gambit" aircraft is being built for air dominance and will rely on artificial intelligence.
“Now we’re once again pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with unmanned aircraft, software, mission systems integration and more,” Division President David R. Alexander said. “Gambit will usher in a new era, where UAS work collaboratively with manned aircraft to detect, identify and target adversaries at range and scale across the battlespace.”
The aircraft's name is derived from the term for an opening move in chess, according to the company. While no specifications have been released, the craft is said to be developed for the U.S. Air Force's "loyal wingman" program that envisions autonomous drones supporting manned aircraft.
The Predator entered service in 1995 and has since been succeeded by the Reaper, Gray Eagle, and other variants.