MQ-9B SkyGuardian will be the world's first drone with a JSM cruise missile with a range of more than 480 km

The MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, which recently passed the cold test, may get missiles for the first time. So far, the drones have been used for reconnaissance and surveillance.

Here's What We Know

The MQ-9B SkyGuardian is a variant of the MQ-9 Reaper drone. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) has introduced a new concept for drone use. It involves equipping the UAV with airborne cruise missiles.

It is a Joint Strike Missile (JSM). These are Norwegian-American-made missiles developed by Kongsberg and Raytheon. They are based on the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) anti-ship missiles, which are designed to be launched from ships.

The JSM weighs 416 kg and has a launch range of 300 miles (482 km) at high altitude and 100 miles (160 km) at low altitude. The missile is equipped with an inertial navigation system, GPS and an infrared homing head. All this had to be packed into a body less than 4 metres long in order for the missile to fit into the compartment of the F-35A Lightning II fighter.

The MQ-9B SkyGuardian will be the world's first unmanned platform that can carry cruise missiles. The new drone concept was demonstrated in Australia at the Avalon Airshow 2023. Using a drone with a JSM will reduce the cost of strikes, as it will not have to involve the F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation fighters.

Source: The War Zone