General Atomics and Kongsberg have reached a major development milestone after completing two key design reviews for integrating the Joint Strike Missile onto the MQ-9B unmanned aircraft. Finalized in Norway, the successful System Requirements Review and Preliminary Design Review validate the project’s technical framework and allow development to advance into a more mature engineering phase. The collaboration focuses on integrating Kongsberg’s fifth-generation Joint Strike Missile across the MQ-9B family, including both the SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian platforms, substantially increasing their long-range strike capability. Once operational, the missile will enable the unmanned aircraft to engage heavily defended land and maritime targets with greater precision while remaining outside high-threat areas. The integration also reflects the growing demand for advanced unmanned systems capable of performing intelligence gathering, persistent surveillance, target tracking, and precision strike missions within a single platform. As militaries increasingly rely on unmanned aircraft for complex operations, the MQ-9B equipped with the Joint Strike Missile is expected to provide enhanced operational flexibility, improved survivability, and greater interoperability across allied defense forces.
