
GA-ASI Completes First Flight of MQ-9B With AEW Pods21.5.2026 17:00:00 CEST | Press release
New Development Effort Will Enable Airborne Early Warning Capability for MQ-9B SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / May 21, 2026 / General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew its MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft for the first time with Airborne Early Warning (AEW) pods. The much-anticipated AEW capability is being provided through a partnership with Saab. Once the AEW sensor, named LoyalEye, is made available to MQ-9B operators and new customers, it will deliver persistent and cost-effective air surveillance capabilities in regions where it is currently unavailable. GA-ASI conducted a validation flight of MQ-9B using AEW radar pods on May 19 from GA-ASI's Desert Horizon flight operations facility in Southern California using a company-owned aircraft. The flight signaled the first step in a development process that is expected to take several months and culminate with a full-capability demonstration later this year. GA-ASI and Saab announced their partnership last year with the



















