SeaGuardian RPA completes maritime test flights with GA-ASI
NewsSeptember 17, 2020
POWAY, Calif. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) concluded a set of maritime test flights over the sea-lanes off the coast of Southern California Sept. 11, using the MQ-9B SeaGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS). This was the first MQ-9B configured for surveillance operations over open-water, and served to demonstrate MQ-9B capabilities in the maritime environment.
According to officials, the test flight demonstrated how SeaGuardian can be used for a variety of maritime missions, including surface search, subsurface search, littoral surveillance, anti-piracy, and search and rescue.
MQ-9B is designed to be all-weather capable and compliant with STANAG 4671 (NATO Airworthiness type-certification standard for UAS). This feature, along with its collision-avoidance radar, is intended to enable flexible operations in civil (including ICAO) airspace.
The aircraft onboard sensors included the GA-ASI Lynx Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), a Raytheon Intelligence & Space SeaVue Expanded Mission Capability (XMC) radar, a Raytheon Intelligence & Space Multi-Spectral Targeting System, a Leonardo Electronic Support Measure (ESM)/Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) SAGE 750, a Shine Micro Automatic Identification System (AIS), an Ultra sonobuoy receiver and a General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada sonobuoy processor.
