The U.S. Coast Guard has ordered four MQ-9B long-range unmanned aircraft from General Atomics in a $247.8 million deal.
Built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the MQ-9B has a 79-foot wingspan and can operate in civilian airspace.
Also called the SeaGuardian, the MQ-9B is a remotely piloted aircraft equipped with specialized sensors for wide-area maritime radar, an automatic identification system, electronic support measures, and an anti-submarine warfare mission kit.
The aircraft can remain airborne for more than 30 hours and communicate beyond the horizon via satellite.
According to General Atomics, the SkyGuardian’s capabilities are highly robust. It can conduct search and rescue, law enforcement, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
Drawn by this impressive array of functionalities, the U.S. Coast Guard placed an order through a U.S. Customs and Border Protection contract, according to a U.S. Coast Guard press release.
The U.S. Coast Guard goes high-tech
The U.S. Coast Guard oversees more than 95,000 miles of shoreline, 25,000 miles of navigable rivers, and 4.5 million square miles of the U.S. exclusive economic zone, so it has a vast area to monitor.
The Coast Guard used an earlier version of the MQ-9A aircraft in maritime counter-drug operations. These operations enabled authorities to seize about 60,700 pounds of illegal drugs in 2026. The seized narcotics were valued at approximately $306 million, and the operations contributed to the apprehension of around 20 smugglers.
The Coast Guard cited these results as proof that these long-range unmanned aircraft deliver. It’s no wonder they ordered the latest edition.
The newly acquired MQ-9B systems are intended to expand the service’s ability to collect and share intelligence, identify potential threats, and support reconnaissance missions over offshore waters.
The MQ-9B aircraft will improve the Coast Guard’s ability to monitor offshore waters, protect borders and critical infrastructure, support search and rescue, combat drug trafficking, and counter illegal and unregulated fishing.
“The MQ-9B long-range unmanned aircraft systems will expand our reach and strengthen our ability to protect the nation,” said Anthony Antognoli, assistant commandant and program executive officer for Robotics and Autonomous Systems.
“This investment will give Coast Guard crews a longer-range view of our maritime domain, helping them detect threats earlier, make better-informed decisions and act faster across our missions.”
Nearly $25 billion
The Coast Guard currently operates more than 220 cutters, 185 fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and 1,300 boats, according to the press release.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the new aircraft acquisition was funded by a “historic investment” of nearly $25 billion. That funding allocated about $16.3 billion for new assets and capabilities to modernize acquisitions, integrate new technologies, restore operational readiness, and improve infrastructure.
Its responsibilities include maritime border security, drug interdiction, the protection of ports and waterways, and the safeguarding of the nation’s 4.5 million square miles of exclusive economic zone. The four MQ-9B aircraft will add long-range unmanned surveillance capabilities to those operations as the service continues its modernization efforts.
The Coast Guard’s announcement did not specify a delivery schedule or state when the new aircraft are expected to enter operational service.