US Air Force orders $217.6 million worth of MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones for Taiwan

The US Air Force has ordered four MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, but not for itself. The drones from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems are destined for Taiwan.

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The island nation continues to prepare for a possible war against China. As part of the $217.6 million contract, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems will supply Taiwan with two ground control stations, spare parts and additional equipment in addition to the drones.

The work will take place at a plant in California and will be completed in 2025. It is worth noting that the US State Department approved the sale of the drones three years ago. However, at that time the amount of the potential deal was estimated at $600 million.

The MQ-9B SkyGuardian is designed for reconnaissance, surveillance and reconnaissance. The drone is capable of remaining in the air for more than 40 hours. The drone will allow surveillance of China's armed forces, which have stepped up activity near Taiwan over the past year.

Note that until recently, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems sold the MQ-9B SkyGuardian exclusively to foreign customers. The first US customer was the US Air Force Special Operations Command. The service has been using the MQ-9A Reaper for nearly 15 years, but it recently ordered three SkyGuardian drones.

For now, the drone is used for reconnaissance but will be able to carry missiles in the future. In late winter, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems unveiled a new concept for the drone, which involves equipping the MQ-9B SkyGuardian with Joint Strike Missile (JSM) missiles with a launch range of up to 480km. The JSM is an airborne version of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM).

Source: Pentagon