Sub-Hunting SeaGuardian Drone Gets New In-Flight Targeting & Attack System

by Kris Osborn, President, Warrior

Just over 10 years ago, former Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Richard Myers referred to a process he called “fusion” during Operation Iraqi Freedom, a term he said which identifies “targeting relay” wherein a surveillance drone acquires targeting information and networks or “fuzes” data into a targeting and attack picture for commanders. This was used often by the US military during OIF operations.  Fusion therefore, as explained years ago at the Pentagon by Myers, includes the networking of a surveillance and targeting system such as the Global Hawk drone and ground-based command and control and ground and air attack weapons systems.  These were the early days of what is now evolving into high-speed, AI-enabled armed surveillance drones capable of finding, analyzing and destroying targets in milliseconds largely without a need for human intervention.  Fusion still happens now, just at a much faster and more efficient pace, a development arguably suggesting the Myers was on the cutting edge or ahead on his time in the realm of high-speed combat “networking” and information relay. 

Targeting detail which used to travel from a GlobalHawk down to a ground-based command and control center for processing and verification before being sent to a fighter-jet or ground-attack platform, can increasingly be done at the “point of collection” by forward-operating single platform. While drones today certain can and do send targeting specifics to ground control stations and fighter jet, yet AI-enabled algorithms enable it to almost instantly send processed information including only the most relevant data necessary for the attack. 

These kinds of technological breakthroughs in the realm of data processing, targeting, transmission and high-speed attack likely pertain to recent upgrades of General Atomics “SeaGuardian” drone, a medium-altitude sensing and ISR variant of the US Air Force Reaper configured for maritime warfare operations. 

SeaGuardian Drone Gets “Net-Enabled-Weapons” Upgrade

The US military has operated the SeaGuardian on many several occasions for specific exercises such as Integrated Battle Problem and Northern Edge, yet the aircraft may likely also wind up in service with key NATO allies who already fly the MQ-9 Reaper, such as Belgium, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy. 

SeaGuardian operators can deploy, monitor and control sonobuoys from a single Remotely Piloted System. The SeaGuardian has four wing stations available to carry up to 4 Sonobouy Dispensing System  pods, enabling it to hold and dispense up to 40 ‘A’ size or 80 ‘G’ size sonobuoys and remotely perform anti-submarine-warfare  anywhere in the world. 

“SeaGuardian’s range encompasses a mission radius of 1200 nautical miles with significant on-station time for submarine prosecution, providing a low-cost, stand-alone capability or a complement to human-crewed aircraft for manned-unmanned teaming operations,” a General Atomics essay says.