Contributor - UK

David Donald

General Atomics and Saab are gearing up to fly an MQ-9B medium-altitude long-endurance UAV next summer that will be equipped with an airborne early warning (AEW) radar system. The demonstration, to be undertaken at GA’s Desert Horizon test center in California, will mark a major step in the program to create the world’s first uncrewed AEW platform.
GA and Saab have been looking at AEW for some time. An uncrewed solution has considerable advantages for extending the coverage of existing crewed aircraft or providing AEW capability to new users. There is obvious potential for operations from aircraft carriers. Uncrewed platforms can operate closer to high-threat airspace and sustain continuous coverage more easily and cost-effectively. At present, a GlobalEye (for instance) can stay aloft for around 12 hours, whereas the MQ-9B offers 16 to 20 hours on station with much lower operating costs. It is possible to re-role an AEW-configured MQ-9B with another system fit, but the process would take several days.
Saab’s radar solution is packaged into two wing pods and a centerline fairing. The wing pods contain S-band AESA radar and L-band IFF arrays that draw heavily on the company’s Erieye technology, which is fielded in the GlobalEye and other crewed platforms. The pods incorporate a liquid cooling system to handle the heat produced by the high-power system.
No modification is needed to allow the MQ-9B to carry the radar package, which includes equipment to process most of the data onboard prior to relaying it to surface stations via the MQ-9B’s extensive array of communications options. They include Ku-band satcom, C-band line-of-sight link, and Link 16. Data is transmitted into command and control systems in a standard format.
Initial demonstrations for potential customers will feature a standard MQ-9B, but later demonstrations will use a platform equipped with broad wings that enable short takeoff and landing capabilities. The latter is of particular interest to customers with aircraft carriers. Initial trials will focus on traditional AEW air-to-air functions, but the radar system can also perform surface searches simultaneously.
Currently, the program is in the integration phase, and both companies suggest that an operational system could be fielded by 2029. General Atomics is the prime contractor.

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General Atomics and Saab are gearing up to fly an MQ-9B medium-altitude long-endurance UAV next summer that will be equipped with an AEW radar system.

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