The U.S. Air Force announced today it entered into a December foreign military sales contract that will see U.S. drone manufacturer General Atomics provide MQ-9B aircraft to Canada for polar reconnaissance and maritime patrol duties. The contract is valued at $108 million for an undisclosed number of the Skyguardian remotely piloted vehicles.
The MQ-9B is a variant of the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Capable of automatic takeoff, the 79-foot-wingspan MQ-9B can fly as long as 40 hours in all weather conditions and incorporates a Lynx multi-modal radar and infrared imaging sensor. Payload capacity with its nine external hard points is 4,751 pounds—enough for a full complement of 250- and 500-pound bombs.
The MQ-9B operates with the General Atomics-developed Detect and Avoid system. In addition to Canada, MQ-9Bs are currently in service with the U.S., U.K., Belgium and Japan. First deliveries of the aircraft ordered are scheduled for 2028, with operational entry into service expected in 2033. The order includes the necessary ground stations.
