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Neal Blue’s original idea for what became the feared MQ-9 Reaper was not an armed unmanned aircraft system at all, or even a military reconnaissance platform.

The founder of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) instead proposed in the late 1990s a new turboprop-powered and medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft system called “Telecom.”

Access exclusive subscriber-only coverage on it mission: flying continuous orbits over developing countries, relaying cellular signals from ground-based transmitters to cellphone users in remote areas.

Plus every subscriber has access to our special annual issue, Aerospace & Defense 2021. Providing a predictive outlook on the global aerospace & defense industry and what you need to know for the year ahead.

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Credit: Airman 1st Class William Rio Rosado/U.S. Air Force

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