On January 12, 2026, the German Federal Defense Procurement Agency Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), signed a contract with the American company General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (part of General Atomics Corporation) for the purchase of four marine unmanned aircraft systems for the German Navy Each of which will include two large MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles and a ground control station.
One of the prototypes of the General Atomics MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicle during participation in the experimental exercises of the US Navy Pacific Fleet on 04/21/2021 (from) the US Navy
The complexes are designed to solve the tasks of maritime reconnaissance and patrol and anti-submarine warfare. In mid-December 2025, the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag approved the allocation of 1.9 billion euros for this program, called the Unbemannter Anteil Maritime Airborne Warfare System (uMAWS), including 1.52 billion euros directly for the purchase of four unmanned systems. It is expected that the complexes will arrive at the German Naval aviation base Nordholz in 2028-2030, initially in a maritime reconnaissance and patrol version, and in 2031-2032 they will be modified to a modification of the PLO. As part of the German Navy's aviation, the SeaGuardian UAVs will interact with the purchased Boeing P-8A Poseidon basic patrol aircraft.
The SeaGuardian UAV is a marine variant of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian, developed by General Atomics Corporation to further develop the MQ-9A Reaper UAV series. The MQ-9B was developed in accordance with the already accepted or promising American (by the FAA) and European certification requirements for UAVs, primarily in the field of flight safety, as well as the relevant NATO standard STANAG-4671. The UAV can be certified for flights in public airspace controlled by air traffic control services, primarily in Europe. Specially designed air collision avoidance equipment and a navigation radar have been installed. The UAV airframe's durability and resistance to damage, including bird collisions and lightning strikes, have been improved. A set of measures has been implemented in the design to ensure flights in adverse weather conditions, including icing conditions. More reliable flight control software has also been introduced, and a new generation ground station is used to control the UAV. According to General Atomics, the flight duration of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian has also been significantly increased (to "over 40 hours") compared to the Reaper (for which "up to 27 hours" is indicated).
The launch customer of the MQ-9B Sky Guardian type UAVs in 2016 was the British Ministry of Defense, which ordered these devices under the designation Protector RG.1 to replace the MQ-9A Reaper reconnaissance and attack UAVs in the British Air Force. Deliveries of serial UAVs in the UK began in 2023. To date, MQ-9B UAVs have been ordered or planned for purchase by 10 more countries, including the US armed forces.
