USAF to evaluate turbocharged ULTRA ISR drone in CENTCOM

The USAF is deploying the ULTRA Turbo, a new ULTRA variant with a Rotax 916 engine, for an operational assessment in the Middle East. The upgrade increases speed and ceiling (reported up to ~120 knots and ~30,000 ft) while retaining multi-day endurance, improving persistent ISR reach and flexibility compared with the baseline ULTRA and complementing vulnerable MQ-9 coverage.