General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian
Type: uav
Domain: air
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
First Deployed: 2026
Overview
American armed medium-altitude long-endurance UAV procured by Canada for Arctic surveillance and maritime patrol. Canada is procuring MQ-9B SkyGuardian (export variant with de-icing and enhanced endurance) for persistent Arctic monitoring. Features 40+ hour endurance, maritime radar, electro-optical/infrared sensors, satellite communications, weapons capability including Hellfire missiles. Addresses Canadian Arctic sovereignty concerns with persistent surveillance capability unavailable from manned aircraft. Monitors shipping, resource extraction, potential military activities. Complements P-8A Poseidon providing lower-cost persistent coverage. Deliveries expected late 2020s. Represents Canadian unmanned systems adoption for challenging Arctic environment.
Technical Specifications
| role | Arctic surveillance, ISR, armed overwatch |
|---|---|
| type | Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance Armed UAV |
| sensors | Lynx SAR/GMTI radar, EO/IR turret, SIGINT pod |
| armament | GBU-38 JDAM, Hellfire, GBU-12 |
| endurance | 40+ hours |
Operators
- Canada (RCAF)
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