General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has collaborated with Saab to develop an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) capability for its line of MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft, with flight demonstrations planned for 2026.
GA-ASI’s MQ-9B line includes the SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian® models, the United Kingdom’s Protector, and the new MQ-9B STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) model currently in development.
GA-ASI will integrate Saab’s AEW sensors with its long-endurance, long-range unmanned aircraft system (UAS), the MQ-9B. Whether operating over land or at sea, the AEW mission package on MQ-9B is designed to deliver enhanced situational awareness at a lower cost than traditional manned platforms.
The MQ-9B AEW configuration will provide persistent airborne sensing to support defense against tactical aircraft, guided missiles, drones, and other threats, at a significantly reduced cost compared to manned alternatives. Medium-altitude long-endurance UAS platforms offer some of the highest operational availability among military aircraft, and the unmanned nature of the MQ-9B reduces risk to aircrew.
The AEW-equipped MQ-9B is intended to augment existing AEW fleets by extending their operational range and to provide nations lacking legacy AEW platforms with a cost-effective capability to address emerging threats.
The GA-ASI and Saab AEW system is expected to support a wide array of mission profiles, including early detection and warning, long-range detection and tracking, simultaneous multi-target tracking, and flexible combat system integration, leveraging both line-of-sight and SATCOM connectivity.
David R. Alexander, GA-ASI President, commented, “High and low-tech air threats both pose major challenges to global air forces. We’re developing an affordable AEW solution in cooperation with Saab, the leading provider of AEW&C systems, that will transform our customers’ operations against both sophisticated cruise missiles and simple but dangerous drone swarms. We’re also making AEW capability possible in areas it doesn’t exist today, such as from some navy warships at sea.”
MQ-9B represents an advanced capability within the medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS category. GA-ASI has received MQ-9B orders from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Poland, Japan, Taiwan, India, and the U.S. Air Force in support of Special Operations Command. The platform has also participated in U.S. Navy exercises including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, RIMPAC, and Group Sail.
