The flight took place on 19 May at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon facility in Southern California. Saab said the milestone begins a several-month test evaluation phase that is expected to culminate in a full capability demonstration later this year.
The cooperation between Saab and GA-ASI was announced in 2025 and is aimed at improving airborne early warning surveillance capabilities. The companies said the system is intended to support critical decision-making through advanced air surveillance.
Saab brings experience from its manned airborne early warning and control systems, including GlobalEye. GA-ASI contributes its unmanned aircraft systems and operational experience with medium-altitude, long-endurance platforms.
“LoyalEye on the MQ-9B offers critical airborne sensing, supporting extended persistence and operational reach,” said Carl Johan Bergholm, head of Saab’s business area Surveillance. “As a complement to manned assets, it aims to enhance situational awareness and, in combination, enable greater operational reach and flexibility.”
GA-ASI President David R. Alexander said the capability is intended to support defence against multiple aerial threats. “AEW for MQ-9B will offer critical aloft sensing to defend against tactical air munitions, guided missiles, drones, fighter and bomber aircraft, and other threats,” he said.
“Operational availability for a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS is the highest of any military aircraft, and as an unmanned platform, its aircrews are not put into harm’s way,” Alexander added.
The joint Saab and GA-ASI solution is intended to support early detection and warning, long-range detection and tracking, and simultaneous tracking of multiple targets. The system will operate beyond line of sight and through satellite communication connectivity.
