MQ-9B drone with LoyalEye Radar Tracks Fighter Jets and Maritime Targets in U.S. Tests.

A U.S. MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft carrying Saab’s LoyalEye airborne early warning radar simultaneously tracked fighter aircraft, commercial aircraft, and maritime targets during flight testing in Southern California, according to General Atomics. The demonstration supports development of an unmanned radar aircraft intended to extend surveillance coverage and complement crewed airborne warning systems.

MQ-9B is equipped with Saab’s LoyalEye airborne early warning radar pods, which tracked fighter aircraft, commercial aircraft, and maritime targets during U.S. flight tests, according to General Atomics. General Atomics has not disclosed the radar pods' detection ranges or endurance. (Image: Army Recognition Group graphic based on GA-ASI photograph)

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems tests demonstrate simultaneous target tracking

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. and Saab announced results on October 28, 2026, after several months of testing at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon flight operations facility in Southern California. General Atomics reported simultaneous tracking at long ranges, including multiple instrumented fighter aircraft acting as opposing forces, commercial aircraft and maritime targets. Neither company disclosed measured detection ranges or the number of tracks maintained.

Saab said the integrated system demonstrated detection, tracking and classification of airborne targets in a representative operational scenario, with stakeholders observing its performance in real time. The evaluation follows the LoyalEye-equipped MQ-9B’s first flight in May 2026. The additional results extend the evidence from initial flight integration to demonstrated radar functions against multiple targets.

Related Topic: U.S. Coast Guard MQ-9B Drone Order Sharpens America’s Long-Range Maritime Surveillance Edge

The announcements do not establish operational readiness or identify a U.S. military acquisition decision. General Atomics said it was discussing unmanned airborne early warning capabilities with several customers, without naming a buyer for this configuration.

LoyalEye radar pods combine airborne sensing with MQ-9B endurance

LoyalEye is installed in external payload pods on the MQ-9B. Saab describes the capability as a complement to existing airborne early warning and control aircraft, able to operate independently or alongside crewed systems. Its potential contribution is persistent sensing without carrying an aircrew aboard the radar aircraft.

General Atomics advertises SkyGuardian endurance exceeding 40 hours and beyond-line-of-sight operation through satellite communications. Those published aircraft capabilities should not be treated as demonstrated endurance for the LoyalEye configuration. The test announcements provide no mission-duration figure with the radar pods fitted. An operational endurance assessment would need to account for payload weight, aerodynamic drag, electrical demand, and mission profile.

The absence of published detection ranges also prevents a numerical comparison with crewed warning aircraft. Describing a track as long range does not establish performance against a particular target size, altitude or flight profile, nor does it demonstrate resistance to electronic countermeasures.

E-2D Hawkeye and E-7 Wedgetail comparisons extend beyond radar coverage

The U.S. Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye combines airborne surveillance with command and control and battle management. Its five-person crew can coordinate concurrent missions, while aerial refueling extends persistence. Comparing LoyalEye with the E-2D therefore requires more than a radar detection comparison. Mission coordination, communications and integration with the wider force are central to the Hawkeye’s role.

Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail likewise combines radar surveillance, communications and onboard battle management. Boeing lists ten mission crew consoles and mission duration exceeding ten hours, extendable through aerial refueling. These figures describe a different aircraft and mission arrangement from an MQ-9B carrying radar pods. They do not support a direct endurance ranking without comparable payload, transit, and on-station conditions.

General Atomics proposes distributing battle management and command functions to suitably equipped ground sites, ships or crewed airborne warning aircraft. That architecture could allow an MQ-9B to contribute radar coverage while operators and decision-makers work elsewhere. The disclosed tracking results, however, do not establish that the test demonstrated the full command chain required for air battle management or missile engagement control.

Persistent airborne warning depends on connectivity and survivability

For U.S. and allied forces, the potential operational value lies in adding surveillance capacity and sustaining coverage over extended missions. Separating the airborne sensor from its mission operators could provide more options for positioning radar aircraft while retaining command functions aboard ships, ashore or in crewed aircraft.

That separation also makes communications performance a central consideration. Delivering useful radar information to remote users requires dependable connectivity, adequate data capacity and integration with command systems. The announcements provide no results for operations under communications jamming or against a contested air-defense network. Removing the onboard crew reduces personnel exposure, but does not establish aircraft survivability.

The demonstrated advance is specific: LoyalEye has progressed beyond its first-flight milestone to manufacturer-reported multi-target tracking and airborne target classification. Establishing an operational complement to the E-2D or E-7 will require further evidence on mission endurance, network integration, performance under interference, and the command functions delivered with the radar picture.

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Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.