Defense News reports, “General Atomics is preparing to offer a package deal to Saudi Arabia to acquire a number of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, company executives said in an interview at the IDEX arms fair in Abu Dhabi. “We are still in the very early stages but are pursuing this hard as there is a huge interest coming from Saudi regarding the MQ-9B — we expect they have significant requirements [for these drones] that could result in many of tens of thousands of jobs in the U.S. if we were to close that sale,” Dave Alexander, president of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, told Defense News.”
Full Story (Defense News)
Tag: MQ-9B
Belgium’s First MQ-9B SkyGuardian Performs Maiden Flight
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the Belgian Ministry of Defence have marked a significant milestone with the successful first flight of Belgium’s new MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). This aircraft is the first of four MQ-9Bs ordered by Belgium and took to the skies on February 20, 2025, from GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facility in El Mirage, California.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
GA-ASI Partners with Saab to Enhance AEW&C System Performance on MQ-9B
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Saab have partnered to integrate an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system onto GA-ASI’s MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft. To validate the new capability, flight demonstrations are 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.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)