General Atomics discloses a large drone flying wing called NextGen

General Atomics told Air & Space Forces Magazine it is working on NextGen, an uncrewed flying-wing aircraft it describes as a much larger, fully armed reconnaissance and strike aircraft, and not a collaborative combat aircraft. The company says hybrid-electric propulsion could let it fly more than 60 hours without refuelling, and it could be flown remotely, autonomously or semi-autonomously.

Work on NextGen would feed a smaller, cheaper flying-wing drone in the company's Gambit family, which it calls Gambit 4, with shorter endurance and less stealth. The source gives no customer, schedule or flight date. All figures are the company's.