Export Drive for Maritime Surveillance Version of Predator B | Aviation International News

Export Drive for Maritime Surveillance Version of Predator B

The appearance of the marinized variant of the

The Raytheon SeaVue radar is carried in a radome beneath the Predator B, as seen here at the Paris Air Show (Photo: Bill Carey)

By AIN Staff • AIN Staff

July 1, 2011

The appearance of the marinized variant of the General Atomics MQ-9 Predator B at the recent Paris Air Show heralds an export drive for the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) to European NATO countries, as well as Australia, Japan and other prospects. The aircraft at Paris belonged to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which has named it the Guardian. Of eight Predator Bs delivered to the CBP, two are in the Guardian configuration, and two more are on order.

The Guardian has a belly-mounted Raytheon SeaVue XMC multimode surveillance radar, Raytheon MTS-B electro-optical/infrared video sensor and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver. AIS is a maritime equivalent to the air IFF (identification, friend-or-foe) system. SeaVue is a mechanically scanned, X-band sensor. XMC stands for “eXpanded Mission Capability,” a software upgrade that enhances small-target detection and tracking in high sea states, according to Raytheon.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

Starfighters Space Sells Mach 2 Testing by the Sortie

Company says F-104 Starfighter jets offer a “wind tunnel in the sky”

Two Starfighters Space F-104s in flight

Australia Boosts Capability With Trio of ISR Platforms

Fleet now includes MQ-4C Triton, MC-55A Peregrine and the P-8A Poseidon

Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon and MC-55A Peregrine aircraft

Textron Aviation Marks Rollout of 500th Latitude

Aircraft entered service in 2015

Textron Aviation rollout of 500th Cessna Citation Latitude

Piaggio Marks Avanti’s Ruby Anniversary, 40+ Evo Sales

More than 270 Avanti variants have been delivered across four decades

Piaggio Aerospace Avanti Evo aircraft

F-35 Buy Approved As Saudis Struggle to Counter Houthi Threat

Trump administration says $24.3 billion deal will bolster Saudi Arabia's self-defense capability

Formation of three F-35As against clouds

Boeing Freighter Saga Raises Doubts Over Radia’s WindRunner

U.S. start-up sees commercial and military use cases for its clean-sheet cargo lifter design

Radia WindRunner freight aircraft

AircraftPost To Host ‘Behind the Deal’ Session during NBAA-BACE

Panel will dissect a Gulfstream G650 transaction from four different perspectives

Lockheed Martin Rolls Out First German F-35A Fighter

First fighter due to arrive in-country in late 2027

F-35 in hangar against graphics on screen