Saab and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) have successfully completed the first flight of an unmanned Airborne Early Warning (AEW) solution.
“LoyalEye on the MQ-9B offers critical airborne sensing, supporting extended persistence and operational reach. As a complement to manned assets, it aims to enhance situational awareness and, in combination, enable greater operational reach and flexibility," Head of Saab’s business area Surveillance, Carl Johan Bergholm, stated.
This achievement was made possible by integrating Saab’s LoyalEye radar sensor with GA-ASI’s unmanned MQ-9B aircraft. The partnership, announced in 2025, aims to enhance airborne early warning surveillance capabilities to support critical decision-making.
“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,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “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," Bergholm highlighted.
On 19 May, Saab’s airborne early warning sensor, LoyalEye, successfully completed its first flight on an unmanned aircraft at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon facility in Southern California. This milestone marks the start of a several-month test evaluation phase, which will culminate in a full capability demonstration later this year.
The joint AEW offering from Saab and GA-ASI will support a wide range of applications, including early detection and warning, long-range detection and tracking, and the simultaneous tracking of multiple targets. The system will operate both beyond the line of sight and via satellite communication (SATCOM) connectivity.