General Atomics sends MQ-9B SkyGuardian to Joint Warrior exercise

In July 2021, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) will send a company-owned MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) to RAF Waddington (UK) to demonstrate the aircraft’s operational capabilities to NATO allies, including the Netherlands.

It is reported that around that time, exercise Joint Warrior (JW) will start. However, the UK MoD officially published the dates for the two 2021 Joint Warrior exercises as JW211 from 2 to 13 May 2021 and JW212 from 26 September to 8 October 2021.

The SkyGuradian will be configured with a maritime surface-search radar, an advanced Synthetic Aperture radar, an Auto-identification system and Full motion sensors with optical and infrared cameras. Next to that, General Atomics will also show the capability of the aircraft in a network enabled environment.

In March 2019, GA-ASI was awarded a USD 123 million contract to manufacture four MQ-9A Block 5 Reapers for the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force). The contract had been anticipated for a while, as the US State Department approved the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) in 2015 and the Dutch Ministry of Defence officially announced the order in July 2018 at the Farnborough air show (UK).

Dutch crews started training on the Reaper in January 2019. The first Reapers are expected to be delivered to 306 Squadron at Leeuwarden air base in the final quarter of this year. Leeuwarden is also home of the first F-35A Lightning II squadron and seven aircraft are already on strength with Leeuwarden’s 322 Squadron.

With the Royal Air Force (RAF), the MQ-9B Reaper will be based at RAF Waddington. First deliveries are expected in 2024.

Photo: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.