The German Navy will receive four Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Systems from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) for maritime long-range reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare.

Each system consists of two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, as well as other components and a command and control system, meaning the German Armed Forces will procure a total of eight MQ-9Bs.

According to well-informed sources, the financial scope of the contract, financed from special funds and the regular budget, is estimated at around €1.52 billion. This sum includes spare parts and other services, such as flight crew training, for an initial two-year period of operation.

The delivery of the aircraft, which are to be stationed at the Nordholz naval air base, is scheduled for the period between 2028 and 2030. Reportedly, the unmanned aerial vehicles are to be upgraded to an anti-submarine warfare configuration in 2031 and 2032.

The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag approved funding last week for the project known as the “Unmanned Component of the Maritime Airborne Warfare System (uMAWS).” The procurement will be handled by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), which is managing the contract with the manufacturer on behalf of the German government.

The German Navy has repeatedly emphasized that it expects significant synergy effects from the introduction of the MQ-9B with partner countries such as Great Britain and Canada, which also operate this aircraft type.

MAWS was, for a long time, the name for a Franco-German initiative to modernize maritime surveillance, but both sides could not agree on a common approach and Germany eventually entered into the procurement of the manned P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft as a so-called MAWS interim solution.

According to Bastian Ernst, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s spokesperson on naval affairs in the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, the procurement project represents a crucial capability for the German Navy.

“I consider the timelines ambitious, but in my estimation, the systems will make a significant contribution to the Bundeswehr’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities,” the CDU politician stated. “At the same time, we mustn’t forget to build the necessary infrastructure for operating the systems in parallel with the purchase of the drones,” Ernst added.

Photo: For ASW missions, the SeaGuardian can carry two to four sonobuoys dispensers under its wings. GA-ASI image.

Source: Naval News