GA-ASI SeaGuardian Maritime Demo

The Japan Coast Guard has contracted General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to purchase two MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) valued at EUR 45,000,000, with delivery expected in 2025. These medium-altitude, long-endurance UAVs are intended for maritime wide-area surveillance (MWAS), search-and-rescue, disaster response, and maritime law enforcement missions, building on a prior company-owned, contractor-operated agreement since 2022. Strategically, they enhance Japan's coastal monitoring amid rising Chinese military activity in surrounding waters and support operations like those during the 2023 G-7 Summit and the Noto Peninsula earthquake.