GA-ASI opens up stand-off weapons capability for MQ-9B UAV
An artist's impression of the GA-ASI MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian MALE UAV carrying long-range stand-off weaponry. (GA-ASI)
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) is developing a stand-off weapons capability for its MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the California-based company announced on 23 February.
Having satisfied itself that the medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV will be able to carry such long-range weapons, GA-ASI is now refining the technical aspects of their integration, as well as potential concepts of operation for their use.
“Hypothetically, a mission profile might look like this: MQ-9Bs could launch from a number of friendly bases in the Western or Southern Pacific, fly to a hold point, and loiter there outside a hostile power's weapons engagement zone. If the order came to release the weapons, the aircraft could launch them in co-ordination with other US or allied operations,” the company said.
With GA-ASI eyeing weapons such as the Lockheed Martin AGM-158A/B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), as well as the Kongsberg/Raytheon Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for carriage, flight trials of at least one of these weapon types aboard an MQ-9B are slated for later in 2026.
Known as the SkyGuardian in its overland role and as the SeaGuardian in its maritime fit, the MQ-9B has nine external stores or stations for the carriage of weapons and/or sensors (in addition to the integrated undernose-mounted Wescam MX-20 high-definition electro-optic/infrared [EO/IR] camera). It has a maximum operating altitude of 45,000 ft, a maximum endurance of more than 40 h, and a maximum airspeed of 200 kt.
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