General Atomics MQ-9B Protector / SkyGuardian / SeaGuardian (Predator B)
Medium-Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) Drone [ 2021 ]
The General Atomics MQ-9B Protector is an offshoot of the Predator B UAV family line intended to meet NATO and FAA standards for both military and commercial airspace operation.
In an effort to meet newer, more demanding NATO and American FAA regulations for airworthiness standards in civil airspaces around the globe, General Atomics is developing an offshoot of its hugely successful MQ-9 "Predator B" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) as the MQ-9B "Protector". The type features upgrades at both the software and hardware levels to better serve in various global environments while also being protected against natural dangers such as bird strikes, icing, and lightning. Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) has committed to the type and the service expects to receive its first units before the end of 2018 with type certification expected between 2021 and 2022 (civil airspace certification will arrive later). This certification will allow the air vehicle to legally fly over population centers with the intended goal of monitoring and coordinating disaster responses and the like.
The Protector maintains the Predator's proven form and function, the sleek fuselage housing the primary avionics suite, optics fit, and powerplant. The wings are straight monoplanes with winglets at the tips. An optics package is positioned in a trainable blister pack under the chin. A Y-shaped tailplane arrangement is used that features a pair of outward-cranked fins and a single downward-cranked plane. The undercarriage sports three thin legs, all wheeled. At the rear of the aircraft is a three-bladed propeller unit arranged in "pusher" fashion.
The Protector is to have a maximum speed of 210 knots with a mission endurance window of some forty hours and a total product life of 40,000 hours. Operational ceilings will reach 40,000 feet. Supported systems are set to include the Raytheon MTS-B Electro-Optical / InfraRed (EO/IR) sensor fit, the GA-ASI "Lynx" multi-mode mission radar, and a true sense-and-avoid / all-weather functionality. Mission payloads will be modular to allow customers to append the product as needed.
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July 2018 - The MQ-9B SkyGuardian prototype was flown to RAF Fairford in England from Grand Forks, North Dakota - covering some 24 hours in the air. This marks the first such venture by a Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft.
November 2018 - Belgium has selected the MQ-9B SkyGuardian to fulfill its MALE requirement.
February 2019 - General Atomics has entered into agreements with France-based MBDA and America-based Raytheon to further its UK "Protector" program work for the Royal Air Force (RAF) / Royal Navy - this will provide Protector support for missiles/bombs developed by both respective companies ("Brimstone" and "Paveway IV").
March 2019 - The General Atomics MQ-9B is one of several UAVs that will content for a Japanese Coast Guard requirement encompassing twelve drones.
March 2019 - The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of MQ-9B drones to the nation of Belgium under the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) program. The country now joins the United Kingdom as a foreign operator of the type.
May 2019 - The MQ-9B is a possible acquisition target for Canada, competing with the Israeli Heron TP line.
July 2019 - The UK has announced its intention to retire its fleet of Reaper UAVs in 2024 in favor of the newer MQ-9B "Protector" series.
April 2020 - General Atomics has flown its first production-quality MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAV.
August 2020 - General Atomics has received a $189 million USD contract to further a Belgian MQ-9B fleet request.
September 2020 - A Royal Air Force Protector UAV, the Protector RG.1 / UK.1, has made its first flight on September 25th, 2020.
November 2020 - The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of four MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAV systems to the island nation of Taiwan.
November 2020 - The United Arab Emirates has been approved for the purchase of the MQ-9B. Up to eighteen systems will be procured by the Gulf nation.
August 2021 - The SkyGuardian UAV has arrived at RAF Waddington, England in preparation for flight testing with the service.
March 2022 - SeaGuardian was exhibited at DOHA 7 by General Atomics.
April 2022 - Australia announced that it will not be acquiring twelve-to-sixteen MQ-9B unmanned systems as originally planned.
April 2022 - Japan has announced its intent to operate the MQ-9B SeaGuardian form beginning October 2022.
September 2022 - Amidst a backdrop of increasing Chinese aircraft incursions into Taiwanese airspace, the island nation of Taiwan has ordered four MQ-9B systems as a counter.
October 2022 - The British MoD has accepted delivery of its first Protector RG.1 UAV system intended to serve with the Royal Air Force.
May 2023 - General Atomics has been awarded the Taiwanese SkyGuardian contract.
Australia (announced); Belgium; Japan (announced); Taiwan (ordered); United Arab Emirates (announced); United Kingdom; United States (probable)
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
✓Unmanned Capability
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.
Length
36.7 ft (11.20 m)
Width/Span
66.6 ft (20.30 m)
Height
12.5 ft (3.80 m)
Empty Wgt
3,858 lb (1,750 kg)
MTOW
11,023 lb (5,000 kg)
Wgt Diff
+7,165 lb (+3,250 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the General Atomics MQ-9B Protector production variant)
monoplane / shoulder-mounted / straight
Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.
Shoulder-Mounted
Mainplanes are mounted at the upper section of the fuselage, generally at the imaginary line intersecting the pilot's shoulders.
Straight
The planform involves use of basic, straight mainplane members.
(Structural descriptors pertain to the General Atomics MQ-9B Protector production variant)
Installed:
1 x Honeywell turboprop engine of unknown horsepower output driving a three-bladed propeller unit in pusher configuration.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the General Atomics MQ-9B Protector production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
Mission fit consisting of sensors and data-collecting equipment with ordnance support for MBDA "Brimstone" missile and Raytheon "Paveway IV" precision-guided bomb.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 2
Mounting Points
-
-
-
-
5
-
-
-
4
-
-
-
-
HARDPOINT(S) KEY:
X
15
13
11
9
7
5
3
1
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
COLOR KEY:
Fuselage Centerline
Fuselage Port/Wingroot
Fuselage Starboard/Wingroot
Wing/Underwing
Wingtip Mount(s)
Internal Bay(s)
Not Used
Note: Diagram above does not take into account inline hardpoints (mounting positions seated one-behind-the-other).
MQ-9B "Protector" (Predator B) - Base Series Designation.
MQ-9B "SkyGuardian" - UCAV (armed) model.
MQ-9B "SeaGuardian" - Multi-mission maritime patroller.
Protector RG.1 / UK.1 - Royal Air Force variant; as many as sixteen for procurement from General Atomics; first-flight September 2020.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
Images Gallery
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Image from official General Atomics marketing material.
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Australia (announced); Belgium; Japan (announced); Taiwan (ordered); United Arab Emirates (announced); United Kingdom; United States (probable)
