A year after announcing the collaboration, GA-ASI flew an MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft equipped with the Saab-designed LoyalEye airborne early warning (AEW) pod.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Saab announced the first flight of the MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) equipped with a new airborne early warning (AEW) pod. This milestone comes after the two companies announced last year that they would jointly develop an unmanned, persistent and cost-effective aerial surveillance capability.
The test flight was conducted May 19, 2026, at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facility in Southern California. Images accompanying the press release show the aircraft was flown in two pods, which Saab named LoyalEye. However, the third pod previously shown in the rendering could not be immediately spotted.
GA-ASI said the flight “marks the first phase of a development process expected to take several months and culminate in a full functional demonstration later this year.” The company is using one of its own aircraft for the test campaign.
The AEW solutions developed by Saab and GA-ASI support a wide range of applications, including early detection and warning, long-range detection and tracking, and simultaneous tracking of multiple targets. The system operates via both Beyond Line Of Sight (BLOS) and Satellite Communications (SATCOM) links.
“AEW for the MQ-9B will provide critical airborne detection capabilities to defend against tactical airborne munitions, guided missiles, drones, fighter and bomber aircraft, and other threats,” said David R. Alexander, GA-ASI President. “The operational availability of a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS is the highest of any military aircraft, and as an unmanned platform, the crew is not at risk.”
“The MQ-9B’s LoyalEye provides critical airborne detection capabilities, supporting sustainability and extended operational range,” said Carl Johan Bergholm, Saab’s senior vice president and head of business area surveillance. “This system, which complements our manned assets, aims to improve situational awareness, thereby providing greater operational range and flexibility.”
partnership
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Saab first announced their collaboration to develop pod-type airborne early warning and control (AEW) on June 15, 2025. At the time, the companies said the new capability would be operational by 2026 and would be available for the SkyGuardian, SeaGuardian, Britain’s Protector RG1 and the new MQ-9B STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing).
GA-ASI said its goal is to develop an affordable AEW solution that can be used “against both sophisticated cruise missiles and simple but dangerous drone swarms.” The new platform can also operate in places where larger platforms cannot.
Renderings released by the two companies show the MQ-9B equipped with three special pods for AEW missions. Two pods, one under each wing, are understood to host the radar array, while a third pod installed on the centreline will be used for processing units.
Notably, Saab is also the developer of the Erieye airborne AESA radar system, a key component of the GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft. However, it is unclear if there is a relationship between LoyalEye and Erieye.
In November 2025, the two companies first announced that they would demonstrate AEW capabilities on the MQ-9B in the summer of 2026. This may be a reference to the full feature demo mentioned in the latest press release.
The companies did not specify whether they had already received interest from potential customers. However, the UK Ministry of Defense stated in May 2025 that the MQ-9 is being considered a candidate for the Royal Navy’s carrier strike airborne early warning requirement.
The MQ-9-based AEW capability will replace the Crowsnest Airborne Early Warning system based on the AW101 helicopter at the end of its service life. The drone will be carrier-based as the Royal Navy has assessed that the MQ-9 can be modified to operate from the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
