Poland to Buy Three MQ-9B SkyGuardians

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has confirmed the sale of three MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems to the Polish Ministry of Defence.

The MQ-9B will serve as the foundational intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform for Poland. The sale to Poland also includes two Certifiable Ground Control Stations (CGCS) and three years of GA-ASI’s SkyGuardian Global Support Solutions.

MQ-9B delivers long endurance and range, with auto takeoff and landing under SATCOM-only control, and will be able to operate in unsegregated airspace using the GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid system.

In 2022, Poland began operating MQ-9A Reapers as part of a lease agreement with GA-ASI. The success of those missions opened the door for the purchase of the MQ-9B aircraft.

First customer deliveries of MQ-9B began in 2022 to the U.K. Royal Air Force. Contracts have also been signed with Belgium, Canada, the Japan Coast Guard, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Taiwan, India, and the U.S. Air Force in support of Special Operations Command. MQ-9B has additionally supported various U.S. Navy exercises this year, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, and Group Sail.