GA-ASI, Lockheed Martin Collaborate to Enhance SeaGuardian UAS with Net-Enabled Weapons Capability

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Lockheed Martin have announced a collaboration to integrate Net-Enabled Weapons (NEW) capability into GA-ASI's MQ-9B SeaGuardian Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

This enhancement aims to bolster the Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISR&T) capabilities of the SeaGuardian platform.

The NEW technology facilitates expanded sensor targeting applications, enhancing precision targeting for long-range weapons. SeaGuardian's persistent operational capabilities, combined with its advanced precision targeting sensors, enable more efficient kill chains, particularly in challenging operational environments.

Raytheon's SeaVue multi-role radar, integrated with Lockheed Martin's NEW expertise, will further refine SeaGuardian's targeting capabilities for future theater deployments. Initial testing of the NEW capability was successfully conducted on June 5, 2024, at the U.S. Navy's W-289 test range in Southern California, involving F/A-18 aircraft.

GA-ASI and Lockheed Martin have been actively developing Link 16 messages to enable communication with weapons in-flight using the SeaGuardian Systems Integration Lab (SIL). This preparation is in anticipation of upcoming overwater range test flights.