{"id":37171,"date":"2024-07-30T15:47:39","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T15:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2024\/07\/30\/uk-launches-global-mq-9b-drone-users-club-for-allies\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:10:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:10:38","slug":"uk-launches-global-mq-9b-drone-users-club-for-allies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/battlefield-tech\/2024\/07\/30\/uk-launches-global-mq-9b-drone-users-club-for-allies\/","title":{"rendered":"UK launches global MQ-9B drone users\u2019 club for allies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LONDON \u2013 The U.K. has been discreetly building a global MQ-9B operators club in Europe open to NATO and non-NATO members operating or interested in acquiring the long-range drone that will be granted training access at an in-country flight facility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On July 20, the Royal Air Force <a href=\"https:\/\/www.raf.mod.uk\/news\/articles\/uk-develops-mq-9b-support-partnership-with-nato\/\" target=\"_blank\">announced<\/a> the creation of a new MQ-9 International Cooperation Support Partnership, or MIC SP, formed under the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, or NSPA, that builds on a previous similar U.K.-led project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe MQ-9B International Cooperative Program was established in 2019 and the work to determine the best way forward to enhance cooperation was done in 2023\/24 with the conclusion that NSPA and a MIC SP delivered the best path,\u201d an RAF spokesman for the program told Defense News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The drone program is growing rapidly, the spokesman said, as it initially included six nations and now comprises ten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn April 2023, MICP nations were Belgium and the U.K. as participants (to the memorandum of understanding); with Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, and Norway as observers \u2014 since then, we have added Qatar and Sweden as observers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The representative added very few obligations come with joining the program under observer status and countries \u201conly need to be \u2018interested\u2019 in potentially procuring the MQ-9B.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ambitions laid out by the RAF for the users\u2019 club include developing and testing a framework to increase cooperation amongst member nations, enhance interoperability and facilitate joint training. Countries can join either as participants, associated states or in an observer capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2024\/07\/29\/air-force-picks-five-firms-to-build-autonomy-package-for-drone-wingmen\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/General-Atomics-Gambit-2.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Air Force picks five firms to build autonomy package for drone wingmen<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Air Force plans to field at least 1,000 of the drones by the late 2030s.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Affiliates will further have the opportunity to benefit from the air and ground crew training <a href=\"https:\/\/www.raf.mod.uk\/news\/articles\/uk-develops-mq-9b-support-partnership-with-nato\/\" target=\"_blank\">provided<\/a> by the U.K. through the NATO Flight Training Europe Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems\u2019 facility at the RAF Waddington base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The station, located in Lincolnshire, is known as the hub of U.K. reconnaissance and surveillance, as well as the force\u2019s main operating site for airborne intelligence aircraft and systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The MQ-9B is designed to be airborne for over 40 hours and differs from the MQ-9A variant in that it is able to be certified to operate in civilian airspace, according to its manufacturer, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/unmanned\/uas\/2023\/11\/16\/general-atomics-fires-back-at-critics-of-mq-9-drone-after-downing\/\" target=\"_blank\">General Atomics Aeronautical Systems<\/a>, or GA-ASI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The RAF is one of the main operators of this aircraft, which it has named the Protector. Although some smaller countries, such as the Nordics, have expressed a strong interest in acquiring these drones, the hefty price tag attached to them has been somewhat of a trade-off they\u2019ve acknowledged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a recent interview with Defense News, Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman, chief of the Swedish Air Force, said that Sweden had not yet decided to buy an asset such as the MQ-9 Reaper \u201cmostly because it does not fit our size or budget.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An advantage the new MIC SP framework would provide is enabling multinational contracting with GA-ASI or the U.S. government to achieve benefits <a href=\"https:\/\/www.raf.mod.uk\/news\/articles\/uk-develops-mq-9b-support-partnership-with-nato\/\" target=\"_blank\">through<\/a> \u201csharing of costs,\u201d among member nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having all three Nordic nations \u2014 Sweden, Norway and Denmark \u2014 onboard as observers is a good signal, the spokesman said, that they eventually may opt to buy this drone, which would be a force multiplier for the alliance\u2019s intelligence assets in this region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is hoped that all Nordic nations might acquire the MQ-9B to enhance cooperation in the Northern Atlantic and Polar regions, particularly in the maritime domain and to partner with nations\u2019 maritime patrol aircraft, such as the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/global\/the-americas\/2024\/04\/09\/canada-vows-renewed-focus-on-arctic-defense-equipment-purchases\/\" target=\"_blank\"> P8,\u201d<\/a> he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Norway announced plans in April to acquire long-range drones to bolster its maritime surveillance, which local media reported would likely be a choice between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/unmanned\/uas\/2024\/02\/13\/airborne-triton-drone-key-to-navys-signal-goals-clapperton-says\/\" target=\"_blank\">Northrop Grumman\u2019s MQ-4C Triton<\/a> platform and the MQ-9B.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2024\/07\/24\/sweden-angles-to-fill-a-void-in-natos-space-plans\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1245448017.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Sweden angles to fill a void in NATO\u2019s space plans<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Swedish government has adopted the country\u2019s first-ever defense and security space strategy, which seeks to make Stockholm a space hub for allies.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aftenposten.no\/meninger\/debatt\/i\/KMMMx5\/norge-trenger-ikke-raadyre-triton-droner\" target=\"_blank\">opinion piece published in Aftenposter<\/a>, Norway\u2019s largest newspaper, a retired Army major argued General Atomics\u2019 \u201cmore affordable\u201d offering and longer endurance were key factors for a state with scarce resources like Oslo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an emailed statement to Defense News, a senior advisor to the Norwegian Minister of Defense said a prerequisite for establishing a long-range drone capability is \u201cthat it must be carried out as part of a multinational collaboration \u2014 which can involve training, operation and development \u2014 with close allies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The officer added no decision has yet been taken on who this cooperation should take place with.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The drone program is growing rapidly, as it initially included six nations and now comprises ten.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":118662,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":7,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[6,7,10],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3306],"class_list":["post-37171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artificial-intelligence","category-battlefield-tech","category-cyber"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"RX5CUUTQBFG5NDECCNGR4L7QWY","arc_canonical_url":"\/unmanned\/2024\/07\/30\/uk-launches-global-mq-9b-drone-users-club-for-allies\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UK launches global MQ-9B drone users\u2019 club for allies - C4ISRNet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The drone program is growing rapidly, as it initially included six nations and now comprises ten.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UK launches global MQ-9B drone users\u2019 club for allies\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The drone program is growing rapidly, as it initially included six nations and now comprises ten.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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