Saab and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) have announced the successful flight demonstration of unmanned airborne early-warning (AEW) capabilities, combining Saab’s Loyal Eye radar with the MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft.
The flight was conducted from GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facilities in Southern California. “The integrated system proved effective at detecting, tracking, and classifying airborne targets,” the companies said. “The systems were also able to concurrently track multiple airborne and maritime targets at extended ranges, including instrumented fighter and commercial aircraft.”
Historically, manned aircraft carrying high-performance radars have been used for airborne early warning. A related option is to integrate these capabilities on a long-endurance uncrewed platform for further increased surveillance coverage with less exposure of the aircrew.
The MQ-9B can also work side-by-side with dedicated crewed AEW and command-and-control aircraft. Its endurance and long loiter time could enable the military to monitor a vast area and increase situational awareness in challenging operational environments.
Saab’s LoyalEye radar is intended to deliver uninterrupted airborne surveillance. On the MQ-9B, it is installed using payload pods, offering flexibility for integrating the radar with the aircraft.
The most recent test is an indication of the companies’ progress in assessing the integrated capability, following a previous flight in May 2026. The companies have disclosed interest from potential customers, but the release does not state that a production order has been received.
This is part of a larger trend of dispersing sensors across crewed and uncrewed vessels and platforms, which could increase the amount of early warning and surveillance coverage.
