Japan Coast Guard MQ-9B SeaGuardian by General Atomics. (GA-ASI)
SYDNEY — Japan’s Coast Guard has formally signed a contract to purchase two SeaGuardian drones from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
The deal, a direct commercial sale previewed by the White House in April, was officially signed on Thursday. These two MQ-9s are separate from the three aircraft currently on a contractor-owned, contractor-operated lease to the Japan Coast Guard that began in April 2022. The new aircraft will be delivered next year.
Linden Blue, the GA-ASI CEO, said in a statement that leased MQ-9s “have been used for various JCG missions including supporting search and rescue and disaster response specifically during the 7.6 magnitude earthquake early this year near the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture and maritime surveillance during the 2023 G-7 Summit in Hiroshima, and the system has performed efficiently and effectively.”
A variant of the company’s well-known MQ-9B, SeaGuardian is a medium-altitude, long-endurance system that can fly for 24 hours or more. The drone comes with a suite of maritime-specific sensors.
Japan’s Coast Guard works closely with the Japanese military and can be placed under the authority of the Defense Ministry in time of war. The vast area of Japan’s maritime domain, stretching almost to Taiwan, makes persistent drones especially useful.
No price was disclosed for the latest sale to the Japan Coast Guard.
