Japan’s Coast Guard has officially signed a contract to acquire two SeaGuardian drones from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. This agreement, announced as a direct commercial sale by the White House in April, was finalized on Thursday. The two MQ-9 drones are distinct from the three aircraft currently leased to the Japan Coast Guard under a contractor-owned and operated arrangement that began in April 2022. The new aircraft are expected to be delivered next year.
Linden Blue, the CEO of GA-ASI, stated that the leased MQ-9s “have been used for various Japan Coast Guard missions, including support for search and rescue and disaster response, particularly during the 7.6 magnitude earthquake earlier this year near the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, as well as for maritime surveillance during the 2023 G-7 Summit in Hiroshima. The system has performed efficiently and effectively.”
A variant of General Atomics’ well-known MQ-9B, the SeaGuardian is a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone capable of flying for over 24 hours. The drone is equipped with a suite of maritime-specific sensors.
Japan’s Coast Guard collaborates closely with the Japanese military and can operate under the authority of the Defense Ministry during wartime. Given Japan’s vast maritime domain, which extends nearly to Taiwan, persistent drones like the SeaGuardian are particularly valuable.
The price for this latest sale to the Japan Coast Guard has not been disclosed.
