Following its arrival in August at Florennes Air Base, the first of four MQ-9B SkyGuardians® ordered by Belgian Defence from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) made its maiden flight in Belgium on September 23.
“This event ushers in a new era of information dominance for Belgium,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. “MQ-9B is the world’s premiere remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) system, delivering intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) in a high-endurance unmanned platform.”
The first flight in Belgium follows a busy year of preparation for the aircraft. The RPA completed Acceptance Test Procedures in July at GA-ASI’s test facilities in Southern California, which included the actual first flight of the aircraft in February. In parallel, 18 Belgian Air Force personnel completed initial MQ-9B training that took place at GA-ASI’s Flight Test & Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and live flight training at its Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facility in El Mirage, California.
Market forecast by Region, Class, Type, and End-User. Country Analysis, Market and Technology Overview. Opportunities Analysis, and Leading Company Profiles
Download free sample pages More information“With the MQ-9B SkyGuardian, Belgium enters a new era of ISR capability. This achievement reflects not only technological progress, but also the strength of our collaboration with General Atomics—built on mutual understanding, trust, and a shared commitment to operational excellence,” said Air Chief, Major General Geert De Decker.
Belgium joins the U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF) as the first European countries to take delivery of MQ-9B. MQ-9B recently became the first large RPA to obtain a Military Type Certificate (MTC), which was granted by the U.K.’s Military Aviation Authority earlier this year for Protector (the RAF MQ-9B model). MTC certifies MQ-9B’s safe operation in civil airspace without geographic restrictions, including over populous areas. Countries in Europe and throughout the world are choosing MQ-9B for its multi-domain versatility and exceptionally long range and endurance. The platform provides pole-to-pole satellite control and de-icing capabilities to enable missions in the harsh conditions of the Arctic.
Other countries that have selected MQ-9B include Canada, Denmark, Poland, Japan, Taiwan, India, and the U.S. Air Force in support of the Special Operations Command. MQ-9B has also been featured in various U.S. Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, RIMPAC, and Group Sail.
