SAN DIEGO – 20 March 2025 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an industry leader in unmanned aerial systems (UAS), has achieved the esteemed EMAR/FR 145 Maintenance Organization Approval for component service from the French Military Continuing Airworthiness Authority, DSAE. This accolade highlights GA-ASI’s dedication to unparalleled standards of safety, compliance, and operational excellence in military aviation.
The EMAR framework comprises a set of rules derived from commercial aviation standards (FAA/EASA) aimed at ensuring airworthiness for European military aircraft. It creates a unified airworthiness framework acknowledged by military airworthiness authorities globally. EMAR/FR 145 certification empowers maintenance organizations to undertake essential maintenance activities while ensuring rigorous compliance with safety, reliability, and documentation standards.
GA-ASI’s EMAR/FR 145 certification enables the organization to issue EMAR Form 1s (Return to Service documentation) for components serviced by the approved maintenance organization, certifying the safety and airworthiness of the equipment. This recognition pertains to GA-ASI’s maintenance operations at its facilities in Poway and Adelanto, California, and encompasses CAT C (component maintenance) services.
“This certification is a notable milestone for GA-ASI, enhancing the company’s capability to better serve global customers, particularly military users of our MQ-9A and MQ-9B UAS platforms,” remarked Sam Richardson, GA-ASI’s vice president of Sustainment. “The ability to utilize the EMAR/FR 145 certification optimizes the company’s workflows, minimizes expenses, and accelerates future airworthiness endeavors, as many potential customers will acknowledge this certification without requiring a complete, independent certification process.”
By securing EMAR/FR 145 approval, GA-ASI further exemplifies its capacity to fulfill the rigorous requirements of the international defense sector. The recognition of this framework ensures that GA-ASI can broaden its operations and provide top-notch, compliant maintenance services to global clients, ultimately propelling company growth in worldwide markets.
This certification brings substantial operational and financial advantages to both GA-ASI and its clients. For GA-ASI, the approval lowers prospective oversight expenses by capitalizing on the DSAE Audit Team’s supervisory efforts, enabling a more effective and economical certification process for future non-French EMAR customers. For clients, the EMAR/FR 145 certification offers a framework recognized on a global scale, presenting a streamlined maintenance certification process. The recognition agreements between EMAR and non-EMAR countries allow prospective clients to utilize GA-ASI’s French approval, conserving time and resources compared to undertaking a full certification procedure.
