GA-ASI expands MQ-9B SeaGuardian's targeting capability
Above: The MQ-9B SeaGuardian.
Courtesy GA-ASI
In a recent ground test, GA-ASI demonstrated the ability to send sensor data to the missile via Link 16 messaging. The software, part of General Atomics’ Quadratix software enterprise, was validated in a Systems Integration Lab and is gearing up for a live-fire demonstration later this year.
“We continue to build on the innovative capabilities of SeaGuardian for the US Navy,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “The targeting we’ve demonstrated will be especially valuable in contested environments, enabling an unmanned asset like SeaGuardian to be used for higher-risk missions instead of putting manned assets at risk.”
Being able to fire and use SeaGuardian for targeting will significantly enhance the aircraft’s mission set. GA-ASI first showcased its targeting capability for SeaGuardian during the US Navy’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024.
SeaGuardian is a maritime derivative of GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian and remains the first UAS to offer multidomain Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting (ISR&T) as an internal payload that can search the ocean’s surface and its depths in support of Fleet Operations.
With strong demand already in place, GA-ASI anticipates increasing interest in the MQ-9B SeaGuardian because it delivers high-end maritime capabilities at a significantly lower cost than traditional manned maritime platforms.
