MQ-9B Drone Tracks Multiple Targets With Radar
The flight-tested demonstration points toward uncrewed drones extending airborne early warning, though no fielding date has been announced.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Robotics
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) and Saab demonstrated an MQ-9B drone simultaneously tracking multiple airborne and maritime targets using the LoyalEye radar. The targets included instrumented fighter jets acting as adversaries and commercial aircraft. The flight tests were conducted over the past few months at GA-ASI's Desert Horizon flight operations facility in Southern California. This is a demonstration of flight-tested capability, not a fielded or production-ready system.
Why it matters
The demonstration points toward uncrewed aircraft taking on airborne early warning, a role traditionally filled by large crewed aircraft. Adding AEW to the MQ-9B is intended to extend surveillance coverage, and the test validated detection, tracking and classification of airborne targets in a representative operational scenario.
The test used instrumented fighter jets as adversary targets alongside commercial aircraft, a representative scenario rather than a fielded deployment. The reported results are limited to detection, tracking and classification, with no published performance figures in the source.
The players
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI)
A San Diego-based drone maker known for the MQ-9 Reaper and its MQ-9B SkyGuardian platform.
Saab
A Swedish defense and aerospace company whose LoyalEye radar is integrated into this demonstration.
The details
LoyalEye is a radar payload mounted on the MQ-9B in pods on the aircraft's wings. Airborne early warning (AEW) refers to radar aircraft that detect and track threats at long range, and in this test the MQ-9B tracked several airborne and maritime targets at the same time. The system is designed to work alone or alongside crewed AEW aircraft, with battle management functions potentially distributed across ground facilities, ships or existing crewed aircraft.
Timeline
Flight tests were conducted over the past few months at Desert Horizon in Southern California.
The Tech Race
The demonstration places the MQ-9B in a race to take on roles traditionally held by crewed radar aircraft, extending uncrewed surveillance into airborne early warning. It is a flight-tested demonstration within that race rather than a completed fielding.
Availability, pricing and fielding timelines for the LoyalEye-equipped MQ-9B have not been announced. This is a flight-test result, so the capability is not yet available for operational use.
The takeaway
Watch for whether GA-ASI and Saab publish detection range or tracking accuracy figures for LoyalEye on the MQ-9B. Any fielding announcement would indicate whether the AEW role moves from demonstration to a program of record.
Further reading
Explore more on Robotics developments across California.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Defense Post.
