Breaking ground in the high desert: GA-ASI starts work on 85,000-square-foot hangar at El Mirage Airfield
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) broke ground January 14, 2026, on an 85,000-square-foot hangar at El Mirage Airfield to house and test MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft and expand testing capacity for allied customers.
Key takeaways
- New facility: Nearly 85,000 sq ft hangar adjacent to GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facility for MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian operations and testing.
- Permitting in process: CEQA and county permit filings describe larger Desert Horizons II plans, including a 118,020‑sq ft hangar and related buildings.
- Local build: Parkway Construction, led by CEO Ryan Elmer, will lead construction on the high desert site.
- Community impact: Project may bring contracting and hiring opportunities to Hesperia and surrounding communities, while undergoing public review on CEQAnet.
Main content
Key information
Company: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI).
Project: Nearly 85,000 square feet of new hangar space adjacent to GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facility (GA-ASI breaks ground on a new hangar in El Mirage).
Location: El Mirage Airfield, El Mirage, California — about 15 miles east of Victorville; parcels total about 312 acres with plans to merge an additional 77-acre parcel (see the CEQA filing (Desert Horizons II)).
Purpose: House, assemble and test MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian RPAs and support up to a dozen Certifiable Ground Control Stations (CGCS) for production and operational testing (UAS Weekly coverage; MRO Business Today).
Contractor: Parkway Construction, led by CEO Ryan Elmer.
Project details and permitting
Desert Horizons II is the broader program name for the expansion. The immediate hangar is reported at nearly 85,000 square feet and is described as including three aircraft launch pads and four new gate terminals to support flight operations, plus space to install up to 12 Certifiable Ground Control Stations that will operate MQ-9B aircraft — indicating combined production and operational testing at El Mirage (MRO Business Today; AviTrader).
Public filings show GA-ASI applied for a Conditional Use Permit and a Major Variance covering structures that include a 118,020‑sq ft hangar, a 19,512‑sq ft ground control building and a 20,000‑sq ft stockroom tied to UAV manufacturing and testing at 73 El Mirage Airport Road. The CEQA filing lists parcel consolidation plans and moves the project into formal county review (CEQA filing (Desert Horizons II)).
Groundbreaking ceremony and local leadership
GA-ASI hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking on January 14, 2026, with company personnel and local officials in attendance. Key speakers included Linden Blue (GA-ASI CEO), San Bernardino County Supervisor for the Second District Jesse Armendarez, and Parkway Construction CEO Ryan Elmer (UAS Weekly; GA-ASI press release).
“Breaking ground on a new facility is always an exciting day for our company. We continue to fill our order book for new MQ-9Bs, which represent the latest in RPA technology, so it’s important that we have the right team and facilities in place to build and test these important aircraft,” — Linden Blue.
Strategic context: MQ-9B production and global demand
The El Mirage expansion supports GA-ASI’s MQ-9B production and testing needs in California. The MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian variants are long-endurance RPAs with orders from allied nations including the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany (the latter ordering SeaGuardian aircraft), creating demand for increased flight testing and production capacity (MRO Business Today; AviTrader).
GA-ASI’s Predator family has logged more than nine million flight hours across platforms (MQ-9A Reaper, MQ-1C Gray Eagle, MQ-20 Avenger), a record the company emphasizes when discussing operational experience and customer confidence (General Atomics corporate site).
Local contractor Parkway Construction leads the build
Parkway Construction will lead construction; CEO Ryan Elmer spoke at the ceremony and will oversee work adjacent to GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facility. Local leadership could retain a portion of project spending and subcontracting in the region (UAS Weekly).
News coverage and company announcements
GA-ASI posted a press release on January 18, 2026; trade outlets reported on January 19, 2026. Coverage included trade media and the CEQA filing on California’s CEQAnet. At the time of this report there were no substantive public updates after the initial January announcements (GA-ASI press release; UAS Weekly; MRO Business Today; AviTrader).
Implications for Hesperia, California
Economic impact: The hangar and expansion could bring steady business to the high desert. Parkway’s role as prime contractor suggests local contracting opportunities during construction and potential long-term roles in maintenance, logistics and service jobs for nearby communities (UAS Weekly).
Public safety & national defense: Production and testing in California supports a domestic industrial base and allied capability, helping sustain technical expertise and rapid response capacity (MRO Business Today; General Atomics corporate site).
Land use & local control: Conditional Use Permit and Major Variance applications will undergo county review, offering residents and officials an opportunity to examine environmental, noise and traffic studies via the CEQAnet filing (CEQA filing (Desert Horizons II)).
Infrastructure & daily life: Increased flight testing and operations may affect traffic patterns and utilities, so early coordination between GA-ASI, Parkway Construction and San Bernardino County could help manage impacts and channel benefits locally.
Community relations: The CEQA filing and county permit process will be primary avenues for public input; Hesperia residents should watch for notices and hearings tied to the Conditional Use Permit (CEQA filing (Desert Horizons II)).
What to watch next
- County permitting actions and public hearing dates on CEQAnet (CEQA filing (Desert Horizons II)).
- Construction timeline and phased site work from Parkway Construction.
- Local hiring and subcontractor announcements from GA-ASI or Parkway.
- Operational plans: number of MQ-9B aircraft to be based or tested and when CGCS capacity becomes operational.
Sources and further reading
- GA-ASI breaks ground on a new hangar in El Mirage — GA-ASI press release
- UAS Weekly coverage
- MRO Business Today coverage
- AviTrader report
- CEQA filing (Desert Horizons II)
- General Atomics corporate site and press releases
End of article — reporting based on company releases and industry coverage through January 19, 2026.
