General Atomics

General Atomics is a nuclear physics and defense contractor in southern California. Among other things, it is the manufacturer of the Predator unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

General Atomics was conceived in 1955 at San Diego, California for the purpose of harnessing the power of nuclear technologies for the benefit of the United States of America. It was founded on July 18th, as General Atomic as a division of General Dynamics.

It was sold in 1967 to Gulf Oil and renamed Gulf General Atomic.

In 1973 it was renamed General Atomic Co when Shell was a partner in the company. Shell left the venture in 1982 and Gulf named it GA Technologies Inc. Chevron purchased Gulf in 1984.

In 1986 it was sold to a company owned by Neal Blue and Linden Blue when it assumed its current name.

The initial projects were the TRIGA nuclear reactor and Project Orion.

Contents

TRIGA nuclear reactor

The TRIGA model of small nuclear reactor has been installed at 35 locations in the USA and a further 35 locations across the world, in such diverse countries as Italy, Japan, Congo, Brazil, Vietnam, Iran, and Mexico.

TRIGA International, a joint venture between General Atomics and CERCA — a subsidiary of Framatome of France — was established in 1996. Since then TRIGA fuel assemblies have been manufactured at CERCA's plant in Romans, France.

Business groups

Business groups include:

Advanced Technologies Group

  • Advanced Process Systems Division
  • Electromagnetic Systems Division
  • Systems Engineering Division
  • Nuclear Waste Management

Energy Group

  • Controlled Fusion
  • Power Reactors
  • Photonics

Targeting and ISR Group

  • Lynx Systems

See also

References

External links