General Atomics

GA-ASI expands MQ-9B SeaGuardian’s targeting capability

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has demonstrated software that will provide in-flight target updates that will enable the MQ-9B SeaGuardian Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to close gaps on maritime targets.



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.

Related

Heathrow third runway plan could support 50,000 local jobs by 2055
Heathrow third runway
Heathrow third runway plan could support 50,000 local jobs by 2055
Heathrow says its proposed third runway could unlock major employment, skills and supply chain opportunities for local communities and businesses.
Aerospace

19 Oct 2026

UK drone regulation risks rewarding those who ‘ask forgiveness rather than permission’
uvatek babka drone in flight
UK drone regulation risks rewarding those who ‘ask forgiveness rather than permission’
UK drone companies that follow the regulatory process risk losing work to operators prepared to fly first and seek approval later, UAVTEK has warned.
Aerospace Magazine

19 Oct 2026

Can apprenticeships solve the aerospace skills shortage?
Employment skills recruitment shoot - Airfield Engineering Shoot with Airfield Duty Engineer & Engineering Apprentices - Heathrow Terminal 5 Photo credit -
Can apprenticeships solve the aerospace skills shortage?
The UK aerospace industry needs a new generation of skilled engineers and technicians. Apprenticeships can help deliver them, but only if businesses can afford to train people, attract candidates and give them reasons to stay.
Aerospace

18 Oct 2026

UK targets faster defence procurement as Streeting calls for industrial overhaul
The Future of U.S.-UK Defense Cooperation with UK Secretary of Defence Wes Streeting
UK targets faster defence procurement as Streeting calls for industrial overhaul
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has called for an overhaul of military procurement, setting targets to reduce contract timelines and speed up the delivery of new technologies.
Defence Security

19 Oct 2026

Army chief warns Britons must accept “sacrifices” to strengthen UK defence
Soldiers from 1st Battalion Welsh Guards in a WMIK Land Rover
Army chief warns Britons must accept “sacrifices” to strengthen UK defence
General Sir Roly Walker laid out the security risks facing the country and the measures required to strengthen its response to a potential conflict.
Defence

19 Oct 2026

Royal Navy carrier HMS Prince of Wales deploys for second phase of Operation Firecrest
A youngster waves the Flag of St George as HMS Prince of Wales leaves Portsmouth in 2025
Royal Navy carrier HMS Prince of Wales deploys for second phase of Operation Firecrest
The Royal Navy's carrier strike group is returning to the North Atlantic to carry out the second phase of 2026's Operation Firecrest.
Defence

19 Oct 2026

Viasat orders ALL.​SPACE Hydra MAX Terminals for Ka-band networks
ALL.SPACE Hydra
Viasat orders ALL.​SPACE Hydra MAX Terminals for Ka-band networks
Viasat has placed an order for multiple ALL.​SPACE Hydra MAX terminals approved to operate on Viasat's global NextGen Ka-band network, providing resilient SATCOM connectivity for defence and government users.
Defence Member News Space

15 Oct 2026

Cornwall Space Cluster launches £15k legal support programme for space SMEs
Goonhilly satellite near Cornwall Space Cluster
Cornwall Space Cluster launches £15k legal support programme for space SMEs
Cornwall Space Cluster has partnered with Stephens Scown to offer specialist legal advice to space businesses, helping them protect intellectual property, prepare for investment and support future growth.
Space

15 Oct 2026

ClearSpace selected to deliver UK’s first active debris removal mission
ClearSpace removing space debris
ClearSpace selected to deliver UK’s first active debris removal mission
The UK-led programme will remove two defunct satellites while creating specialist jobs, supporting supply chains and building capability in the growing in-orbit services sector.
Space

15 Oct 2026

UK targets faster defence procurement as Streeting calls for industrial overhaul
The Future of U.S.-UK Defense Cooperation with UK Secretary of Defence Wes Streeting
UK targets faster defence procurement as Streeting calls for industrial overhaul
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has called for an overhaul of military procurement, setting targets to reduce contract timelines and speed up the delivery of new technologies.
Defence Security

19 Oct 2026

The Reading Agency launches largest-ever UK prison book-gifting programme
The Reading Agency launches largest-ever UK prison book-gifting programme
The Reading Agency launches largest-ever UK prison book-gifting programme
An initiative from The Reading Agency, championed by Prison Reading Laureate Lee Child, will see almost a half million Quick Reads reach prisons across the UK, with a collection shaped by people in prison and prison staff.
Security

19 Oct 2026

Police officers risk accidental AI misconduct, watchdog warns
National Police Chiefs Council photo of police on duty
Police officers risk accidental AI misconduct, watchdog warns
The Independent Office for Police Conduct has warned that officers and staff risk misconduct investigations for inappropriate AI use.
Security

16 Oct 2026