When U.S. MALE class drones – MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones – enter service in the Polish Army, they will be not only the most modern, but besides the most heavy armed BSP that Polish soldiers will have. These machines can fight not only land targets or aircraft, but besides water units.
MQ-9B SkyGuardian is an unmanned aircraft (BSP) of the MALE class (Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance) developed in the mediate of the last decade, 1 that is adapted for long flight at average altitudes. The drone is 11.7 m long, wings with a span of 24 m and no fuel and weapons weigh about 2 tons. Around, due to the fact that its weight ‘empty’ is strictly dependent on specialized equipment – e.g. sensors, radio-electronic combat strategy or self-defense system, which will be installed in it for a circumstantial mission.
MQ-9B SkyGuardian can weigh a maximum of 5670 kg, including fuel in interior tanks of a maximum of 2721 kg, and weapons (bombs and rockets): transported inside the hull – 360 kg, and on knots under wings – over 2100 kg. The drone is powered by a 45 kVA Honeywell TPE331-10 engine, which allows the device to scope a maximum velocity of about 480 km/h, passing about 310 km/h and spending about 40 hours in the air (unofficially, this can be up to 48 hours in fuel saving).
Scout and hunter
In order for the American Sky defender to be able to execute its reconnaissance and impact tasks well, it was equipped with advanced electronic and optoelectronic systems. The heart of MQ-9B is the SAR AN/AKY-8 Lynx II radar, which is able to detect targets from a distance of about 90 km, and the AN/AAS-52 Multi-Spectral Targeting optoelectronic strategy supporting it The strategy can registry objects up to 200 km away.
As far as weapons are concerned, MQ-9B is adapted to carry decently all modern missiles and bombs available in NATO countries, from AGM-114 Hellfire and AGM-179 JAGM, by GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-38 JDAM or GBU-49 bombs to AIM-9X air-to-air missiles, AIM-120 and AGM-88 HARM anti-radiolocation missiles.
Polish Guardians
Soon these are any of the most modern, if not the most state-of-the-art MALE class reconnaissance drones on the market, will be equipped with the Polish Army. On December 12, 2024, the Armed Forces Agency signed with their producer, the American company General Atomics Aeronautic Systems Inc. a contract worth about $310 million net, or about PLN 1.5 billion gross. Under the agreement, until the end of the first 4th of 2027, a set of MQ-9B SkyGuardian will be sent to Polish soldiers, consisting of 3 flying cameras. Drones are to be stationed in the 12th Air Force Unmanned Base.
