Whether it is about national security or rescue missions, this unmanned aircraft is the perfect tool for Norway

There are more and more threats to European security, and Norway is a leader when it comes to meeting these challenges.

The long-term plan for the Norwegian Armed Forces focuses on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, as a critical piece in the future defense structure.

A key element of this structure is the decision to acquire long-range unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to meet the requirement for sustained maritime surveillance. It is necessary for the total defense of Norway and its partners in NATO.

Fortunately, there is already an advanced ISR system ready, and in production. The system will further strengthen Norway’s relationship with Great Britain and other NATO allies, which secure the northern regions.

Many tasks and opportunities

The MQ-9B SeaGuardian is a long-range, remote-controlled air system, built by the American supplier General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. It is a versatile complement to existing solutions such as P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft, frigates, space-based assets, and even F-35 Lightning II fighters.

The MQ-9B can be configured to support anti-submarine warfare, thanks to its capabilities to drop buoys, relay data, and provide long-range and sustained reconnaissance when necessary.

The system’s many tasks include continuous monitoring, for example monitoring sea traffic or offshore installations, or assistance and support for rescue missions along the coast or in built-up areas. Furthermore, the MQ-9B has an open system architecture and flexible load capacity, which makes it incredibly capable today, and adaptable to meet the challenges of the future.

The SeaGuardian has a lightweight construction, 24 meter wingspan and high fuel capacity, meaning it can fly for 30 hours or more. In this way, it can deliver important intelligence on security threats at sea or on land, economic exclusion zones, fisheries and infrastructure, to name a few. It is highly fuel efficient, sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Advanced technology

The MQ-9B is the only unmanned aircraft of its kind that can be certified for integration into civil airspace. Using the onboard detection and avoidance systems, it can see other aircraft and navigate around them. This happens without the need for special efforts from air traffic control. The pilots on the ground communicate with air traffic control via radio, just like any other pilot.

See how well this system worked during testing in the UK.

SeaGuardian has a Lynx Multi-Mode radar and also has the option of a surface radar with a large search capacity under the hull. It has a multispectral system for target selection and localization, which provides full-quality video at any time of the day or night. The aircraft also has a full range of sensors for intelligence gathering.

The SeaGuardian can carry a variety of different payloads enabling it to handle almost any task while performing maritime surveillance.

For example, it can act as a node for integrated communication between Norwegian and allied units, or support a wide range of other roles, such as simultaneous search and rescue. The aircraft is highly configurable and adaptable to ever-changing needs, and will be relevant for decades.

And of particular interest to Norway and other Nordic governments: the MQ-9B is also the only aircraft of its kind that can operate in northern latitudes. The networking functionality, which is unique to SeaGuardian, enables it to connect to multiple types of satellites, making the aircraft the first of its kind to fly above the Arctic Circle. In fact, full access to polar regions will be in place by 2026. The SeaGuardian is a robust aircraft, and is built to withstand cold weather and extreme conditions. It was proven through tests in the northern United States and Canada, and it is shown daily during missions in Japan in wintry conditions.

Requires little staffing

What is important is that the MQ-9B SeaGuardian performs all of these missions without endangering people. The crews fly the aircraft from a ground control station, via satellite, and the station can be located anywhere in the world. Pilots and mission specialists may be co-located with Norwegian or allied operations centers, either in Bodø or elsewhere in the world, even though the aircraft itself may be thousands of miles away.

Previous models of the MQ-9B have time and again proven their mastery of remote areas and extreme conditions. The MQ-9 aircraft are constantly helping to fight forest fires in the United States or monitor areas that have been affected by extreme weather. They have helped rescue sailors at sea and carry out many other civilian missions.

Cheaper to operate

All these aspects of the system – its versatility, a 90 percent availability rate, and the relatively small number of people required to operate and maintain it – also mean that it operates at a fraction of the cost of a traditional aircraft and similar unmanned systems.

General Atomics works closely with Norwegian defense companies to offer a reasonable total solution to the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. With such a solution, the current challenges with the defence’s personnel shortage are solved through strategic partnerships as outlined in the long-term plan.

SeaGuardian is also ideal for extending the reach of other collaborative systems. By flying the MQ-9B frequently, one gathers as much or more intelligence and knowledge as a manned patrol aircraft, at a much lower cost. This makes it possible to increase the coverage area of ​​the manned aircraft, or to use the larger, manned aircraft where there is the greatest need.

It can also supplement existing systems, such as the P-8, as part of a concept for cooperation between manned and unmanned vessels (MUMT). It will then act as a force multiplier when needed.

Many interested actors

These advantages, and several others, have led to huge international demand for SeaGuardian aircraft. The US, UK, Japan, India and other countries are actively using them, and several other nations are on contract. Although the aircraft are relatively new, they have already logged tens of thousands of flight hours supporting critical security operations worldwide.

Japan’s coast guard has used the MQ-9B in countless life-saving missions, including during natural disasters. As a recent example: The Japanese planes detected the eruption of an undersea volcano, which enabled the Coast Guard https://twitter.com/JCG_koho/status/1769905882115002414 to seafarers to stay away from the area.

The Indian Navy also recently used its MQ-9B aircraft to help rescue sailors held captive by pirates. And the list goes on.

The long-term plan for the Norwegian Armed Forces shows that Norway has ambitions to take a leading role within NATO’s mission in the northern regions, in order to meet the challenges ahead. The MQ-9B will equip Norway with the most versatile, affordable ISR and communications system in existence – and it is ready for use right now.