MQ-9B chosen for Japan medium-altitude, long-endurance drone project
NewsFebruary 28, 2023
SAN DIEGO, California. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has won a contract to support the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft system trial operation project, the company announced in a statement.
Under the contract, GA-ASI will supply the MQ-9B SeaGuardian to participate in the project starting in April 2023, the statement reads.
"SeaGuardian will be used to conduct various tests to review adaptability to support JMSDF’s manned-unmanned teaming missions and its level of manpower reduction," the company says. "The Japanese government announced that Japan Coast Guard and JMSDF will be exchanging the data obtained by the MQ-9Bs operated for each of the government’s branches."
The SeaGuardian has capabilities such as a multi-mode maritime surface-search radar with an Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) imaging mode, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver, and a High-Definition – Full-Motion Video sensor equipped with optical and infrared cameras, the statement adds.
