General Atomics MQ-9

A corrected Navy solicitation moves the start of GA-ASI MQ-9B SkyGuardian leasing from 2028 to 2027.

Saab is seeing emerging interest in teaming its GlobalEye business jet-based airborne early warning (AEW) platform with the new LoyalEye system fitted to the General Atomics MQ-9 SkyGuardian.

The U.S. Navy revealed a long-term interest on Aug. 19 to lease MQ-9B SeaGuardians and SkyGuardians, two types of uncrewed aircraft systems.

The company that invented the MQ-9A Reaper is now aiming to reinvent the medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) category.

India Leases Additional MQ-9Bs For Navy

The Indian government has signed a leasing agreement with General Atomics for additional MQ-9B uncrewed aircraft systems.

The Pentagon has opened a solicitation that would replace the MQ-9A Reaper fleet with a cheaper type of UAS that could be produced in mass quantities.

General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) says it is modifying the ground control station for the MQ-9A Reaper to also operate the larger MQ-9B model, with testing starting by year’s end.

General Atomics sees air-recoverable uncrewed aircraft systems extending the reach of MQ-9 payloads.

The Senate Armed Services Committee on June 11 approved its version of the 2027 defense policy bill with new restrictions on defense industry.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has proposed the MQ-9B SeaGuardian to backfill for a U.S. Air Force Reaper shortage.

Swarm Aero has picked Honeywell Aerospace to provide the powerplant for its Group 5 UAS it is targeting for the U.S. Air Force’s MQ-9 replacement.

The most valuable aircraft for the U.S. Air Force during the 38-day air strike campaign against Iran earlier this year proved to be the MQ-9A Reaper, the Air Force’s top general told lawmakers May 20.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

U.S. Air Force Futures has approved a requirements document for an aircraft that will replace the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. MQ-9A Reaper.

MQ-9 Reapers fired BAE Systems precision-guided rockets during a recent demonstration by General Atomics Aeronautics Systems Inc. and the U.S. Air Force.

The Dutch military explores penetrating ISR and satellite upgrades to enhance intelligence capabilities and address vulnerabilities in space systems.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) and Saab are close to the first flight of an MQ-9B Reaper equipped to perform airborne early warning (AEW) duties.

The U.S. Marine Corps recently reached initial operational capability on a slew of capabilities for its General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. MQ-9 fleet.

For more information about Aviation Week Intelligence Network’s (AWIN) 2026 Military Fleet & MRO Forecast and other Aviation Week data products, please see: https://pgs.aviationweek.com/forecast

The U.S. Air Force is now looking at options for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance uncrewed aircraft in the “attritable” cost category.

USAF ferries MQ-9s across the Atlantic bypassing dismantling to save time, revealing stretched airlift capacity and operational urgency.

France tests MQ-9 Reaper for counterdrone missions using Hellfire missiles and electro-optics to engage low- and medium-altitude threats.

BAE Systems repackaged the EA-37B Compass Call’s advanced electronic attack systems into a pod that could be carried by a large uncrewed aircraft system.

Spain has added a signals intelligence capability to its General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) fleet.