GA-ASI and Mitchell Institute Award the 184th Attack Squadron With RPA Squadron of the Year

February 5, 2026
3:25 pm

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In a skies-dominating nod to American airpower excellence, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies have crowned the 184th Attack Squadron from Ebbing Air National Guard Base as the 2024 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Squadron of the Year. This isn't just another trophy on a shelf—it's a testament to the razor-sharp precision of Guard aviators piloting MQ-9 Reaper drones, the workhorses of modern asymmetric warfare. These citizen-soldiers, balancing weekend drills with full-time lives, outmaneuvered elite competitors by logging thousands of flawless combat hours, executing high-stakes intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and kinetic strikes with zero margin for error. Picture it: operators in Arkansas heartland bunkers wielding god-like oversight over distant battlefields, turning pixels into precision ordnance. What elevates this beyond aviation geekery is the uncanny parallel to the Second Amendment ethos—empowering everyday Americans with tools of decisive self-defense. Just as the Framers envisioned armed yeomen safeguarding liberty without relying on a distant standing army, the 184th's triumph showcases decentralized, tech-augmented might in the hands of the heartland Guard. In an era of ballooning federal overreach and drone swarms eyeing domestic skies, this award spotlights how RPA mastery bolsters state-level sovereignty, ensuring rapid response without DC micromanagement. GA-ASI's Reaper fleet, battle-proven from Afghanistan to the Red Sea, embodies scalable lethality that mirrors the AR-15's role in civilian hands: lightweight, adaptable, and overwhelmingly effective against threats big and small. For the 2A community, the implications are electric—this accolade reinforces that true security flows from proficient, armed citizenry, whether slinging lead from a rifle or payloads from a drone. As adversaries like China ramp up their own unmanned fleets, America's edge lies not in elite overlords but in squadrons like the 184th, proving Guard units can punch above their weight. It's a rallying cry: train hard, innovate relentlessly, and keep the tools of freedom close. Pro-2A patriots should cheer this win as a blueprint for resilience, where the same ingenuity fueling suppressor tech and red-dot optics propels us skyward.

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What elevates this beyond aviation geekery is the uncanny parallel to the Second Amendment ethos—empowering everyday Americans with tools of decisive self-defense. Just as the Framers envisioned armed yeomen safeguarding liberty without relying on a distant standing army, the 184th’s triumph showcases decentralized, tech-augmented might in the hands of the heartland Guard. In an era of ballooning federal overreach and drone swarms eyeing domestic skies, this award spotlights how RPA mastery bolsters state-level sovereignty, ensuring rapid response without DC micromanagement. GA-ASI’s Reaper fleet, battle-proven from Afghanistan to the Red Sea, embodies scalable lethality that mirrors the AR-15’s role in civilian hands: lightweight, adaptable, and overwhelmingly effective against threats big and small.

For the 2A community, the implications are electric—this accolade reinforces that true security flows from proficient, armed citizenry, whether slinging lead from a rifle or payloads from a drone. As adversaries like China ramp up their own unmanned fleets, America’s edge lies not in elite overlords but in squadrons like the 184th, proving Guard units can punch above their weight. It’s a rallying cry: train hard, innovate relentlessly, and keep the tools of freedom close. Pro-2A patriots should cheer this win as a blueprint for resilience, where the same ingenuity fueling suppressor tech and red-dot optics propels us skyward.

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