Saab and General Atomics fly unmanned airborne early warning system
Saab and General Atomics have flown what they call the first unmanned airborne early warning system. The flight paired Saab’s LoyalEye radar sensor with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ MQ-9B unmanned aircraft.
The test took place on May 19 at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon facility in Southern California. It marks the first flight milestone for a joint programme announced in 2025 to expand airborne early warning surveillance for military decision-making.
The companies will now move into a test and evaluation phase expected to run for several months. The campaign is scheduled to lead to a full capability demonstration later this year.
LoyalEye is intended to provide airborne sensing with longer persistence and wider operational reach. On MQ-9B, the system is being developed to support early detection and warning, long-range detection and tracking, and simultaneous tracking of multiple targets.
Saab brings experience in airborne early warning and control through its manned GlobalEye system. GA-ASI brings a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft platform and operational experience with remotely piloted systems.
The companies say the AEW configuration for MQ-9B is aimed at detecting and tracking threats including tactical air munitions, guided missiles, drones, fighter aircraft and bombers. The system is designed to operate beyond line of sight and through satellite communications connectivity.
If the test programme succeeds, armed forces could gain a new way to extend early warning coverage while reducing risk to aircrews.