GA-ASI and Saab to Demonstrate AEW&C on MQ-9B Platform

GA-ASI and Saab Will Demonstrate AEW&C on MQ-9B in 2026 | General Atomics

Swedish Radar Technology Meets Unmanned Persistence in 2026 Flight Tests

DUBAI AIRSHOW — General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Sweden's Saab AB are advancing their collaboration to integrate airborne early warning and control capabilities onto the MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft, with flight demonstrations scheduled for summer 2026 at GA-ASI's Desert Horizon facility in Southern California.

The partnership pairs Saab's Erieye radar systems with the MQ-9B's 40-hour endurance capability, creating what both companies describe as a cost-effective alternative to traditional crewed AEW&C platforms. The integration targets a capability gap in naval aviation, particularly for nations operating aircraft carriers without dedicated early warning aircraft.

Sensor Integration and Technical Architecture

While specific technical details of the sensor package to be used with the MQ-9B remain classified, Saab's participation strongly indicates the use of its Erieye active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar technology or a derivative system. The company's Erieye radar, operational since 1996, provides 300-degree coverage and has been integrated on multiple platforms including Saab 340, Embraer ERJ-145, and Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft.

The MQ-9B integration presents unique engineering challenges compared to Saab's traditional crewed platforms. The sensor system must accommodate the RPA's electrical power generation limits, aerodynamic constraints, and datalink bandwidth while maintaining detection performance. GA-ASI's MQ-9B variants generate approximately 100 kilowatts of electrical power through their Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprops, requiring careful power management for radar operations alongside existing mission systems.

The sensor installation likely involves a dorsal or conformal radome configuration to minimize aerodynamic impact on the MQ-9B's 79-foot wingspan. Previous GA-ASI modifications, including the company's maritime radar installations and signals intelligence pods, provide integration precedent for large sensor payloads on the MQ-9B airframe.

Integration of the AEW system requires modifications to the aircraft's mission management system, ground control stations, and data exploitation architecture. The system must operate over both line-of-sight and satellite communication links, with track data formatted for transmission to combat management systems using standard tactical data links such as Link 16 or Link 22.

Operational Applications and Platform Integration

The Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class carriers represent the most frequently cited operational application for the MQ-9B AEW&C capability. The 65,000-ton carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales currently operate without dedicated airborne early warning aircraft, relying instead on ship-based radars and off-board sensors from allied forces. The Royal Air Force's Protector RG Mk1—the British designation for MQ-9B—entered service in 2024, providing an existing logistics and training infrastructure for AEW&C variant introduction.

The ski-jump configuration of the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, designed for short takeoff and vertical landing F-35B operations, cannot accommodate conventional carrier-based AEW aircraft such as the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. The MQ-9B's conventional takeoff and landing profile, combined with its ability to operate from austere land bases, provides operational flexibility for both shipboard and expeditionary basing.

Beyond carrier operations, the persistent AEW&C capability addresses emerging cruise missile and unmanned aerial system threats in contested environments. David R. Alexander, GA-ASI president, specifically cited defense against cruise missiles and drone swarms as primary mission drivers during the Dubai Airshow announcement.

Additional operational scenarios include gap-filling for nations with limited AEW&C fleets, persistent maritime domain awareness in exclusive economic zones, and distributed sensor networks supporting integrated air and missile defense architectures. The MQ-9B's 3,000-nautical-mile range enables station times exceeding 24 hours when operating from forward locations.

Strategic Context and Market Positioning

The GA-ASI-Saab partnership enters a competitive market segment that includes traditional crewed platforms such as Boeing's E-7 Wedgetail and Saab's own GlobalEye, as well as emerging unmanned concepts from Boeing's MQ-25 derivatives and Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk variants.

The unmanned AEW&C approach offers cost advantages through elimination of crew-related infrastructure, reduced operating costs, and tolerance for higher-risk operational environments. However, the concept requires validation of radar performance from the MQ-9B's lower operating altitude compared to traditional AEW platforms, which typically operate above 30,000 feet to maximize radar horizon.

The 2026 demonstration program will assess radar detection ranges against various target types, tracking capacity, data link performance, and integration with ground-based and shipboard combat management systems. Successful demonstration positions the partnership for potential production contracts, with the UK's Protector fleet representing the most immediate customer opportunity.

Industry and Program Outlook

GA-ASI's MQ-9B family has accumulated over 100,000 flight hours across military and civil applications since the platform's introduction. The company's ongoing development of the MQ-9B STOL variant, featuring reinforced landing gear and shortened takeoff and landing distances, potentially expands the AEW&C capability to more austere operating locations.

Saab's recent financial results show strong performance in its Surveillance portfolio, which includes AEW&C systems, with the company reporting full-year 2024 revenues of SEK 54.8 billion across all business areas. The GA-ASI partnership provides Saab entry into the unmanned AEW market while leveraging proven Erieye technology.

The summer 2026 demonstration represents a critical milestone in validating unmanned AEW&C operations, with implications for future naval aviation architectures, distributed sensor networks, and affordable early warning capabilities for allied and partner nations.

Technical Sidebar: Saab Erieye Radar System Specifications

Overview

Saab's Erieye family of airborne early warning radars represents one of the most widely deployed AESA-based AEW systems globally, with operational platforms in Sweden, Greece, Thailand, Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates. The system's adaptation for the MQ-9B platform will require significant miniaturization and power optimization compared to traditional crewed installations.

Size, Weight, and Power (SWAP)

Traditional Erieye Configuration:

• Antenna Array Dimensions: Approximately 9 meters (29.5 feet) length × 0.7 meters (2.3 feet) height
• Total System Weight: 1,000-1,300 kg (2,205-2,866 lbs) including antenna, processors, cooling, and mounting structure
• Power Consumption: 30-50 kW peak operational power
• Cooling Requirements: Liquid cooling system for transmit/receive modules and signal processors

MQ-9B Integration Constraints:

• Available Payload Capacity: MQ-9B can carry up to 2,155 kg (4,750 lbs) external payload
• Electrical Power Generation: 100 kW total aircraft generation; approximately 60-70 kW available for mission systems
• Physical Envelope: Dorsal installation requires conformal or low-drag radome design to maintain aerodynamic performance

The MQ-9B integration likely employs a scaled derivative of the Erieye system, potentially reducing array length to 6-7 meters to accommodate the airframe's fuselage dimensions while maintaining detection performance through advanced AESA signal processing techniques and gallium nitride (GaN) transmit/receive module technology.

Detection Range and Coverage

Standard Erieye Performance (from traditional platforms at 20,000+ feet altitude):

Air Targets:

• Fighter-sized targets (3-5 m² RCS): 350+ km (189+ nautical miles) detection range
• Cruise missiles (0.1-1 m² RCS): 200-250 km (108-135 nautical miles)
• Small UAVs (<0.1 m² RCS): 100-150 km (54-81 nautical miles)

Surface Targets (Maritime Mode):

• Large vessels (frigates/destroyers): 300+ km (162+ nautical miles)
• Small craft and periscopes: 150+ km (81+ nautical miles)

Coverage Geometry:

• Azimuth Coverage: 300 degrees (±150 degrees from boresight) using bilateral antenna arrays
• Elevation Coverage: ±10 degrees from horizon, configurable for low-altitude and high-altitude search
• Instrumented Range: 450 km (243 nautical miles) maximum

MQ-9B Platform Considerations:

Operating at the MQ-9B's typical mission altitude of 25,000-30,000 feet (compared to 30,000-35,000 feet for traditional AEW platforms), the radar horizon is reduced by approximately 15-20%. However, the MQ-9B's slower airspeed (210 knots cruise) and 40+ hour endurance provide extended dwell time for persistent surveillance, potentially compensating for reduced instantaneous coverage area.

Automatic Detection and Track Capacity

Target Processing Capabilities:

• Simultaneous Track Capacity: 300+ air and surface targets in track-while-scan mode
• Track Initiation Rate: 50-100 new tracks per minute under high-density conditions
• Track Update Rate: 2-4 seconds for air targets; 10-15 seconds for surface targets
• Plot Extraction Rate: Processing capability exceeding 10,000 plots per scan

Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) Functions:

• Classification Categories: Fighter, transport, helicopter, cruise missile, UAV, surface vessel by size class
• Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR): Jet engine modulation (JEM) analysis for aircraft type identification
• Electronic Support Measures (ESM) Correlation: Automatic fusion of radar tracks with ESM bearings for enhanced identification

Clutter Rejection and ECCM:

• Ground/Sea Clutter Processing: Space-time adaptive processing (STAP) algorithms for clutter rejection exceeding 60 dB
• Electronic Counter-Countermeasures: Frequency agility across 2-4 GHz bandwidth; adaptive waveform selection; sidelobe blanking
• Simultaneous Operating Modes: Interleaved long-range surveillance, sector search, maritime mode, and precision tracking

Signal Processing Architecture

Processing Capabilities:

• Doppler Processing: 256-1,024 Doppler filters per range bin
• Pulse Compression Ratios: Up to 1,000:1 using linear frequency modulation
• Coherent Integration Time: Variable from 0.5 to 8 seconds based on target type and geometry

Data Link Integration:

• Tactical Data Links: Link 16 (JTIDS/MIDS), Link 22 (NILE), proprietary Saab CETRIS data link
• Data Rate: Up to 1 Mbps for full track picture distribution
• Latency: <2 seconds from detection to network track distribution

Operational Modes

Primary Operating Modes:

1. Long-Range Surveillance: Maximizes detection range against conventional air targets; optimized revisit rate of 6-10 seconds
2. High-Altitude Search: Focused elevation coverage above 30,000 feet for strategic bomber and ballistic missile detection
3. Low-Altitude Search: Concentrated elevation coverage from sea level to 5,000 feet for cruise missile defense
4. Maritime Mode: Optimized sea clutter rejection for naval surface surveillance
5. Sector Search: Concentrated coverage in threat sectors with 1-2 second revisit rates
6. Precision Tracking: High-update-rate tracking of priority targets for weapons cueing

Reliability and Maintainability

System Availability:

• Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF): 200+ hours for radar system
• Mean Time to Repair (MTTR): <30 minutes for line-replaceable unit exchange
• Built-In Test (BIT): Continuous background monitoring with 95% fault detection and isolation

Technology Maturity: The Erieye system has accumulated over 100,000 operational flight hours across multiple platforms since 1996, providing mature technology with established reliability metrics and logistics support infrastructure.

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Technical Sources

1. Saab AB. "Erieye Radar System Technical Description." Product Data Sheet, 2024. https://www.saab.com/products/erieye

2. Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). "S 100D Argus AEW&C System Specifications." Technical Documentation, 2020.

3. Jane's Radar and Electronic Warfare Systems. "Saab Erieye AEW Radar." IHS Markit, 2024-2025 Edition.

4. Brazilian Air Force. "E-99 Program Technical Specifications." Força Aérea Brasileira, 2019. https://www.fab.mil.br

5. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. "MQ-9B Performance Specifications and Payload Integration Guide." Technical Documentation, 2024.

6. IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine. "AESA Radar Technology for Airborne Early Warning Applications." Vol. 38, No. 9, September 2023, pp. 8-24.

7. Aviation Week & Space Technology. "Saab Upgrades Erieye with GaN Technology." Defense Electronics section, March 2024.

8. International Defense Review. "Comparative Analysis of Airborne Early Warning Radar Systems." Jane's by IHS Markit, January 2025, pp. 45-52.

 

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Sources

1. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. "GA-ASI and Saab Will Demonstrate AEW&C on MQ-9B in 2026." Press Release, 17 November 2025. https://www.ga-asi.com/ga-asi-and-saab-will-demonstrate-aewc-on-mq-9b-in-2026

2. Saab AB. "Erieye AEW&C System." Product Information. https://www.saab.com/products/erieye

3. U.K. Ministry of Defence. "Protector RG Mk1 Remotely Piloted Air System." Equipment and Logistics. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protector-rg-mk1

4. Royal Navy. "HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales: Aircraft Carriers." Naval Technology. https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/the-equipment/ships/aircraft-carriers

5. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. "MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian Technical Specifications." Product Documentation. https://www.ga-asi.com/remotely-piloted-aircraft/mq-9b

6. Saab AB. "Year-End Report 2024." Financial Reports, 2025. https://www.saab.com/investors/reports-and-presentations

7. Jane's All the World's Aircraft: Unmanned. "General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper/Predator B." IHS Markit, 2024-2025 Edition.

8. U.S. Department of Defense. "MQ-9 Reaper Fact Sheet." Air Force Technology. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104470/mq-9-reaper/