General Atomics, EDGE to Integrate Smart Weapons onto MQ-9B

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) and U.A.E.’s EDGE, announced an agreement today to integrate EDGE smart weapons onto GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPA.

Under the agreement announced at the Dubai Airshow, the two companies will work together to integrate precision-guided munition (PGM) and guided-glide weapon (GGW) solutions from EDGE onto GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian.

The partnership marks the first time that U.A.E.-made smart weapons will be integrated onto a U.S. unmanned platform, signalling a new chapter in U.S.-U.A.E. defence cooperation, and opening the door to further collaboration.

The EDGE smart weapons designated for integration include the DESERT STING family of GGWs and THUNDER family of cost-effective PGMs from HALCON, and the AL TARIQ family of modular, mission-proven, all-weather day/night long-range PGMs.

GA-ASI hopes that its work with EDGE will lead to more partnerships within the UAE defence industry in order to integrate domestically developed sensors and weapons onto the MQ-9B for the U.A.E. and other customers.

The UAE Armed Forces currently operate GA-ASI’s Predator XP and are working with GA-ASI and the U.S. Department of Defense to acquire the MQ-9B.

Attendees of the Dubai Airshow can visit GA-ASI at stand 1380 and EDGE and its portfolio of companies at indoor stand 520 and outdoor stand S49 at Dubai World Central.