US MQ-9B Airborne Early Warning Drone Tracks Fighter Jets and Ships in Saab LoyalEye Radar Tests

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Saab demonstrated airborne early warning using an MQ-9B equipped with Saab’s LoyalEye radar during flight testing in Southern California. The aircraft simultaneously tracked multiple airborne and maritime targets at long range, including instrumented fighter jets and commercial aircraft, using radar equipment carried in external payload pods. The campaign operated from General Atomics’ Desert Horizon facility and followed the integrated system’s first flight in May 2026. Announced on October 28, the results support development of an uncrewed surveillance capability that can complement crewed early-warning aircraft, with customer discussions continuing and no production order announced.