General Atomics MQ-9 - program supplier guide | Airframer

General Atomics MQ-9

In production

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UAV with turboprop pusher, Pro Line Fusion used in ground control station. Also known as Predator B. Includes Altair, Avenger, Mariner, Reaper, SkyGuardian, Sea Guardian, Mojave and MQ-9B RPA variants.

Photo: GA-ASI

Lift type

Fixed wing

Construction

Factory-built

Control

Autonomous

Engine type

Turboprop

Application

Attack, Surveillance

Design & construction

Primary structure

Composite

Wing

Composite

Landing gear

Retractable tricycle

Ice protection

None

Pressurisation

Unpressurised

Flight controls

Full FBW digital

Autopilot

3-axis

Avionics architecture

Integrated glass suite

Environmental control

None-unpressurised

Wing position

High

Planform

Straight

Tail

V-tail

Certification

Military

Composite wing (primary structure) Primary Composite fuselage (primary structure) Primary Synthetic vision Standard

Technical reference compiled with AI research; a value appears only where two independent research passes and a web fact-check agree. Gaps are deliberate.

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Type variants

Variant	Launch / first flight	Notes
General Atomics MQ-9A-25	/ 2022	Multi-Domain Operations ready variant with integreation of Open Mission Systems and new sensors to expand reconnaissance capabilities
General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper	1998 / 2001	Long endurance UAV, used to be called Predator B until renaming in 2006.
General Atomics MQ-9B SeaGuardian	2018 / 2018	Production: 10 (2006) Approximately 10 preproduction MQ-9 air vehicles had been delivered to the USAF by end of 2006, all preproduction versions. No production-standard aircraft had yet been delivered; the first production air vehicle arrived in early 2007. [medium]. Maritime patrol variant.
General Atomics MQ-9B Protector	2018 / 2018	Armed variant of SkyGuardian.
General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian	2018 / 2018	Weaponised variant, used to be called Certifiable Predator B.
General Atomics Mojave	2021 / 2021	Upgraded variant with STOL capability, derived from both MQ-9A Reaper and MQ-1C Gray ER systems. Demonstrator for GE STOL (described separately).

Airframer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI)

News

Other aircraft programs: General Atomics Gambit Series · General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle · General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger · General Atomics PELE ·

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Program milestones 135 dated events

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Information on this page is compiled from a variety of published sources; links do not necessarily imply recommendation or confirmation by the airframe manufacturer.