US spy drone gets 9-foot wingman with 750-mile strike range boost

The article introduces the Precision Exportable Launched Effect (PELE), a new small unmanned aerial system developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to enhance the operational capabilities of manned and unmanned platforms like the MQ-9B SkyGuardian. PELE features an 11-foot wingspan, a 16-horsepower engine, and weighs up to 250 pounds, providing up to seven hours of flight endurance and a range exceeding 500 nautical miles (approximately 570 miles). Designed for high-risk, contested airspace, PELE is attrition-tolerant and can carry modular payloads including electro-optical/infrared sensors for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It can be launched from air or ground platforms, allowing flexible deployment and enabling the mothership MQ-9B to remain outside threat zones while PELE units penetrate deeper into contested areas. PELE supports emerging military concepts such as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA