General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Saab will demonstrate an Airborne Early Warning and Control configuration on the MQ-9B in mid-2026.
The trial will take place at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon site in Southern California and will use an MQ-9B fitted with Saab’s airborne early warning sensors.
The project combines Saab’s AEW technology with what GA-ASI describes as the longest-range and highest-endurance remotely piloted aircraft in service. The firms argue that integrating AEW sensors onto an MQ-9B could provide persistent surveillance over land or sea, including in regions that currently lack such coverage or where crewed AEW aircraft would be too costly to operate.
GA-ASI President David R. Alexander said the integration is intended to give operators a survivable and continuous sensor presence. “Adding AEW&C to the MQ-9B brings a critical new capability to our platform,” he said, adding that the goal is to “deliver a persistent AEW&C solution to our global operators that will protect them against sophisticated cruise missiles as well as simple but dangerous drone swarms.”
The MQ-9B family includes the SkyGuardian, the SeaGuardian and the UK’s Protector variant, as well as a short takeoff and landing version in development. The AEW configuration is being positioned as a complement to these roles. According to the companies, a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV offers high operational availability and removes aircrew risk entirely.
The AEW package will support early detection, long-range tracking and the simultaneous monitoring of multiple targets, with the firms pushing compatibility with line-of-sight and satellite communications links. The companies state that the demonstration will showcase options ranging from maritime warning for carrier groups to ground-based air defence cueing, reflecting the growing interest in unmanned platforms for tasks traditionally handled by large crewed aircraft.
This sounds like a very similar timeline to the MQ9B STOL development and demonstration.
We might actually be able to trial fixed-wing AEW on our carriers by the end of next year.
Hopefully. This would be a great move.
Oh Gawd, is really the best we can do?
Let’s wait and see what they come up with before writing the idea off entirely. I know your problems with the idea and they are important, but I think that getting Crowsnest out of the Merlins and the ASW/MPA capability are more important than aiming for the optimal AEW solution.
SAAB and GA are claiming a 100 nautical mile detection range for the radar, if true this is a very impressive capability for providing AEW and targeting for a carrier task force.
However it’s probably too limited a range to provide AWACS capability against an opposing airforce.
Definitely something the UK should invest in. This would be great for UK defence as well as well as carrier defence.