SeaGuardian is the maritime version of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). MQ-9B is the world’s most advanced Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and has been selected as a sole source RPA for the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) as the Protector RG Mk1, as well as for the country of Belgium

On July 11th, 2018 MQ-9B became the first Medium-altitude, Long-endurance (MALE) RPA system to complete a trans-Atlantic flight when it landed at the RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK. The flight originated from GA-ASI’s Flight Test and Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. The entire flight, including landing in Gloucestershire, was conducted utilising beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) satellite data link from the US

In addition to the UK and the US, countries such as Italy and France have GA-ASI MQ-9A systems in their inventory, and the United Arab Emirates operates the Predator RPA. Spain and the Netherlands have MQ-9 systems on order. Discussions are ongoing with several other countries.

Nine external hardpoints on MQ-9B offer unmatched configurability to meet diverse mission requirements. I n t h e b a s i c I n t e l l i g e n c e , Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) configuration, the standard SeaGuardian is equipped with a high-definition Electro-optical/ Infrared (EO/IR) sensor and a high-performance 360° multi-mode maritime radar to support maritime patrol and surveillance. With a range of 6,000-plus nautical miles, SeaGuardian boasts endurance of more than 40 hours. GA-ASI flew an MQ-9B for 48.2 hours on 2,721 kg of fuel in May 2017. Providing greater endurance at lower operating cost, SeaGuardian is ideally suited to complement manned maritime patrol ircraft in performing wide area maritime surveillance. SeaGuardian provides state-of-the-art sensors with unparalleled ISR capabilities for a wide range of operational and threat environments. Capable of operating at Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) ranges at altitudes over 40,000 feet and in inclement weather conditions, the MQ-9B will deliver EO/IR Full Motion Video (FMV), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery, Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) data identifying potential threats in real-time from stand-off ranges without harm to the aircrew. The platform can also be equipped with a multi-mode maritime search radar, an Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) capability, and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) that provides a true Maritime Wide Area Search (MWAS) and allows for the identification and interdiction of maritime targets. These maritime capabilities are critical to confront the maritime threats prior to them causing harm.