The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) a $99.2 million contract to develop a next-generation unmanned aerial system (UAS) featuring hybrid-electric propulsion and ducted fan technology, according to a newly published Pentagon announcement.
The contract, issued as a sole-source award, is part of the Air Force’s effort to create advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/strike (ISR/strike) capabilities designed for contested operational environments. The project is referred to as GHOST—an acronym tied to the system’s core design.
The award covers cost-plus-fixed-fee work for the design and development of a new hybrid-electric UAS and includes integration of ducted fan propulsion to improve efficiency, reduce acoustic and thermal signatures, and support extended operations in denied airspace. Work will be carried out in Poway, California, where General Atomics is headquartered, and is expected to be completed by August 2028.
According to the Department of Defense announcement, $26.8 million in fiscal year 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation funds have been obligated at the time of award. The contracting authority is the Air Force Research Laboratory based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
Though the Department has released few technical details, it is widely understood that General Atomics has been researching hybrid-electric propulsion systems for some time. Earlier reporting suggested the company had been testing propulsion configurations involving ducted fans and exploring ISR platforms with extended flight times of up to 60 hours. However, no confirmed public data exists on the final configuration of the aircraft under this contract.
Based on the scope and characteristics described, the new UAS could serve as a potential successor to the widely used MQ-9 Reaper, also developed by General Atomics. The Reaper has been a key U.S. ISR and strike platform for over a decade but has faced increasing challenges in heavily contested airspace and amid evolving threats from advanced air defenses and electronic warfare.