General Atomics Gnat
A reconnaissance UAV that led to the Predator.
The General Atomics Gnat is a reconnaissance drone built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. It was first developed in the United States during the late 1980s. The original design was a stripped-down version of the LSI Amber, created for sale to foreign customers. The Gnat 750 first flew in 1989.
The Gnat 750 looked similar to the Amber but had its wing mounted low on the fuselage rather than on a top pylon. It was larger than the Amber, yet weighed less and could carry more payload. The company that originally developed it, before being bought by General Atomics, was Leading Systems Incorporated (LSI). The drone uses a Rotax 912 piston engine, a flat-four four-cycle type producing 64 kW (85 hp). It can fly up to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) to an operational area and then loiter there for 12 hours before returning.
When General Atomics bought LSI, eight Gnat 750s were already in development. General Atomics continued the program, and in 1993 the Turkish government placed an order for several of the drones. The Turkish Air Force eventually operated 6 Gnat-750s and 16 I-Gnat ERs.
Around this time, the breakup of Eastern Europe's communist states was happening, and the U.S. government wanted an intelligence tool for trouble spots, especially the former Yugoslavia. The CIA contracted General Atomics for Gnat 750s with minor modifications. The program faced many problems, mostly due to bureaucratic infighting. One drone crashed during testing when a gust of wind made it show zero airspeed; the software interpreted this as a landing and shut down the engine, causing the Gnat to fall.
The Gnat 750 effort barely survived, and in early 1994 the CIA sent a team with a Gnat 750 to Albania to watch events in Yugoslavia. The operation did not go well. The drone had many bugs and was hampered by bad weather, and the team was eventually pulled out. Still, production continued, leading to an "Improved Gnat" (I-Gnat) variant with a turbocharged engine and other refinements for better reliability, easier maintenance, and greater capability. The Gnat 750 also led to a next-generation model, the Gnat 750-45, better known as the Predator.
General Atomics also used the Gnat 750 as the basis for a smaller tactical UAV called the Prowler. It looks similar to the Gnat 750 but has a wingspan of 7.31 meters (24 feet) and a length of 4.24 meters (13.9 feet).
Quick Facts
- National Origin
- United States
- Manufacturer
- General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
- First Flight
- 1989
- Introduction
- Early 1990s
- Primary User
- CIA
- Produced
- 1989-?
- Number Built
- 22+
- Developed Into
- General Atomics MQ-1 Predator
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Gnat 750's configuration was similar to that of the Amber, except that the Gnat 750's wing was mounted low on the fuselage, instead of being mounted on a pylon on top. The Gnat 750 was somewhat larger than the Amber, but weighed less and could carry a heavier payload. The original name of the developing company before its acquisition by General Atomics was Leading Systems Incorporated (LSI).
Eight Gnat 750s were in development when General Atomics bought out LSI. General Atomics continued the program, which led to a contract from the Turkish government for a number of the UAVs in 1993. The Turkish Air Force operates 6 Gnat-750 and 16 I-Gnat ER unmanned aerial vehicles. By this time, the breakup of the old Communist states of Eastern Europe was in full swing, and the United States government wanted to obtain an intelligence asset to help it deal with trouble spots in the region, specifically the former Yugoslavia. A contract was issued to General Atomics for Gnat 750s with minor modifications. The aircraft were to be operated by the CIA.
The program encountered a number of difficulties, much of them due to bureaucratic factionalism and squabbling. One aircraft crashed during tests when it was hit by a gust of wind, causing it to indicate zero airspeed. The UAV's software decided that meant it had landed and shut down the engine, causing the Gnat to fall to earth. The Gnat 750 effort squeaked through, and in early 1994 the CIA sent a team equipped with a Gnat 750 to Albania to monitor events in the former Yugoslavia. The operation was not a success. The aircraft suffered from a number of bugs and was limited by bad weather, and the team was finally withdrawn.
Reader's Guide
The Gnat 750's significance lies in its role as a direct predecessor to the Predator, a next-generation derivative known as the Gnat 750-45. Despite a troubled early operational history—including a CIA deployment to Albania in 1994 that was withdrawn due to bugs and weather—the Gnat 750 continued to be built. This led to an 'Improved Gnat' or 'I-Gnat' variant, with a turbocharged engine and overall refinements to increase reliability, reduce maintenance, and enhance capability. General Atomics also used the Gnat 750 as the basis for a tactical UAV known as the 'Prowler', which appears similar but is smaller, with a wingspan of 7.31 meters and a length of 4.24 meters, and has an endurance of over 16 hours with some commonality with Gnat 750 subsystems. The Turkish Air Force, a former operator of 22 units, has since replaced them with the TAI Anka. The CIA operated the Gnat 750 to monitor activity in Albania and Yugoslavia. One Gnat 750 is on static display at the Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles, California.
Did You Know?
- The Gnat 750 was a simplified version of the LSI Amber intended for foreign sales.
- The original developing company was Leading Systems Incorporated (LSI) before its acquisition by General Atomics.
- One Gnat 750 crashed during tests when a gust of wind caused the software to shut down the engine, thinking the aircraft had landed.
- The Gnat 750 led to the next-generation derivative known as the Predator.
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