Poland Signs Contract For Three MQ-9B SkyGuardian Drones
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. announced December 16 that it had signed a contract for the sale of three MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems to the Polish Ministry of Defence.
The Polish National Defense Ministry said: “In the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, a contract was concluded for the supply of MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned reconnaissance systems, which will increase the capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces in the field of ISR.”
According to Warsaw, the MQ-9Bs are expected to enter service from 2027, with Kosiniak-Kamysz saying that the cost of the contract was around 1.2 billion Polish zloty ($310 million). The sale to Poland also includes two Certifiable Ground Control Stations (CGCS) and three years of GA-ASI’s SkyGuardian Global Support Solutions.
“The purchase of MQ-9B SkyGuardian will deliver persistent multi-domain situational awareness, which is vital to Poland,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “SkyGuardian is a critical security tool and GA-ASI is proud to continue to build on its strong partnership with Poland.”
The MQ-9Bs are being purchased under the Polish military’s Zefir unmanned aerial vehicle program, which seeks to procure a medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) drone capable of reconnaissance and combat with a range of up to 1,000 kilometers. The program plans for the purchase of up to 12 drones, while the separate Gryf program seeks to purchase shorter ranged MALE drones.
Poland has operated MQ-9A Reapers since 2022, flying them under a lease agreement with GA-ASI. “The success of those missions opened the door for the purchase of the MQ-9B aircraft”, said GA-ASI in its press statement announcing the deal.
The Polish Air Force also operates 24 Bayraktar TB2 drones, with the final batch of 6 TB2s delivered in May. The contract for the TB2s was signed in 2021 to meet an urgent operational requirement, separate from the Zefir or Gryf programs.