The United States government has authorized the potential sale of new MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, along with a significant batch of weaponry, to equip the Qatari Armed Forces. This is reflected in one of the most recent notifications from the State Department to the U.S. Congress for approval of the operation through the FMS Program.
Developed from the MQ-9 Reaper and intended for potential export customers, the MQ-9B SkyGuardian is one of the most modern and advanced versions of the unmanned combat vehicles developed by General Atomics. It is designed to carry out missions ranging from intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance tasks to striking ground and maritime targets.
Equipped with the Lynx multimode radar, it features, among other notable characteristics, NATO’s STANAG 4671 certification, as well as approvals from other U.S. and international civil aviation authorities, allowing it to operate safely at various types of runways and airports while complying with international regulations.
With this background and according to the publication by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on March 26, the Qatari government requested the purchase of a total of eight (8) MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems from the United States. The deal, valued at $1.96 billion, lists General Atomics Aeronautical Systems as the primary contractor, alongside other companies such as RTX, Lockheed Martin, and L3Harris.
This request includes a substantial package of systems and weaponry to complement the MQ-9Bs authorized for sale to Qatar. Among the precision-guided munitions included in the deal are:
- 200 KMU-572 JDAM tail kits for GBU-38 or GBU-54 Laser JDAM bombs
- 300 BLU-111 500-pound general-purpose bombs
- 100 MXU-650 aerodynamic fin groups (AFG) for Paveway II GBU-12
- 100 MAU-169 computer control groups (CCG) for Paveway II GBU-12
- 110 AGM-114R2 Hellfire II missiles
- 8 M36E9 Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM)
Additionally, the UAV equipment package includes the mentioned AN/APY-8 Lynx synthetic aperture radars (SAR), L3 Rio Grande communications intelligence (COMINT) sensor suites, as well as communication systems, datalinks, and transponders, among other items authorized by the State Department.
Finally, the U.S. government emphasized: “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that remains an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.”
It further added: “The proposed sale will enhance Qatar’s ability to address current and future threats by providing timely intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, target acquisition, as well as strike capabilities against land and maritime targets. This capability will act as a deterrent against regional threats and will be primarily used to strengthen the defense of its territory. Qatar will have no difficulty integrating these articles and services into its armed forces.”
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