MQ-9B to provide Arctic ISTAR for Denmark

Denmark has ordered four MQ-9B SkyGuardian uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to provide Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) in the Arctic. In doing so, it becomes the fourth country in Europe to select the type, after the UK, Belgium and Poland, according to a press release from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) on 23 July.

“The Kingdom of Denmark must strengthen signal acquisition and surveillance in the Arctic and the North Atlantic as soon as possible,” the Danish Ministry of Defence (MoD) states on its website, indicating that the MQ-9B will be used to provide signals intelligence, as well as other forms of reconnaissance. It also has the ability to search the ocean surface “and its depths” using internally carried payloads, according to GA-ASI.

“The drones will play an important role in strengthening our ability to monitor and look after the entire Kingdom and thereby also strengthen NATO’s capabilities in the North Atlantic and the Arctic,” says Chief of Defence, General Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard. The threats in the North Atlantic are many and varied. At a strategic level, much of the focus is on Russia’s submarine fleet, including the advanced Yasen-M class and nuclear-armed Borei. NATO’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities have declined over the past 30 years, and there is now a concerted effort to recover and replenish them.

That is not all, however. Russia’s Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research (GUGI) is understood to hold a range of undersea capabilities designed to destroy and damage critical national infrastructure. The GUGI answers directly to the Russian MoD, and while deep sea infrastructure tends to be quite robust, the GUGI could pose a significant and sustained threat to it should tensions heighten.

There is also the Russian surface fleet, which despite being relatively small, is incredibly well-armed with 3M-14 Kalibr cruise missiles and the P-800 Oniks. Additionally, the Russian air force routinely flies its strategic bombers through the North Atlantic.

Altogether, this demonstrates the need for persistent ISTAR, and especially signals intelligence (SIGINT), in the North Atlantic. Poland is adding its own capability to this mix, with two SIGINT ships, the first of which was launched recently.

The UAVs have been procured using Denmark’s Acceleration Fund, which is designed to rapidly bring new equipment into service through an additional financial mechanism. Already the Acceleration fund has enabled the procurement of 129 Common Armoured Vehicle Systems, additional Mistral air defence missiles, Naval Strike Missiles, and a new ammunition factory to be set up with Nammo.

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) facilitated the procurement and has developed a contractual framework for supporting cooperation amongst its member nations. Within this, it promotes the proliferation of platforms like the MQ-9B in Europe as a route to encouraging interoperability.

The procurement has been under consideration for some years now; key dates of the programme are summarised below:

• 2021: Agreement on the Arctic Capability Package decided to acquire two long-range drones.
• January 2024: Additional funds were allocated for the acquisition through the First Partial Agreement under the Defence Agreement 2024-2033.
• January 2025: Two further long-range drones were approved for acquisition with Partial Agreement 1 on the Arctic and the North Atlantic under the Defence Agreement 2024-2033.
• July 2025: Four MQ-9B procured from GA-ASI.
• 2028: First deliveries expected.

Typical staffing and maintenance procedures suggest that four MQ-9Bs would allow the Danish armed forces to have one available at all times or maintain a constant orbit if required by cycling through aircraft one at a time.

Tech profile: MQ-9B 

The MQ-9B SkyGuardian is a  UAV (or Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)) designed for extended endurance and multi-mission operations, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). It is engineered for integration into civil airspace, capable of all-weather operation thanks to its anti-ice/de-ice systems and lightning protection. For safe integration into unsegregated civilian airspace, it is equipped with a comprehensive Detect and Avoid System, incorporating Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), and Due Regard Radar. These capabilities mean that the MQ-9B is the first UAV that can be flown through British civilian airspace without limitations. The aircraft also features automatic take-off and landing capabilities, utilises Ku-Band SATCOM for over-the-horizon operations, and supports modular payloads such as various radar systems (e.g., Lynx Multi-mode Radar), electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors, and communications relays. It can be armed with weapons like the Brimstone guided missile if required.

Key specifications:

• Wingspan: 24 metres
• Length: 11.7 metres
• Maximum Take-off Weight: 5,670 kg
• Fuel Capacity: 2,721 kg
• Payload Capacity:
  • Internal: 363 kg
  • External: 2,155 kg
• Hardpoints: 9 (8 wing-mount, 1 centreline)
• Maximum Altitude: Over 12,200 metres (40,000+ feet)
• Endurance: 40+ hours
• Maximum Airspeed: Approximately 389 km/h (210 KTAS)
• Range: Over 11,100 km (6,000+ nautical miles)
• Powerplant: Honeywell TPE331-10 Turboprop

Calibre comment 

It is worth putting large UAVs like the MQ-9B into context, especially when the adversary is a peer opponent like Russia. The MQ-9B is unlikely to be as capable a SIGINT platform as a larger system like the RC-135 Rivet Joint. This is equally true of its capabilities as an ASW asset when compared to a P-8 Poseidon. However, in the event of a war with Russia, large aircraft like the Rivet Joint and P-8 would very probably be pulled back, away from the worst of the fighting or risk being shot down. In that case, an MQ-9B could represent a valid stand-in to provide persistent surveillance at lower risk and cost when compared with the alternatives. That is not to say they are less vulnerable – the Houthis have accounted for many US MQ-9A Reapers – but it is a preferable trade given that ASW and tracking Russian submarines is a non-discretionary capability. In British parlance, within the 20-40-40 model whereby 20% of the Army’s fighting power is crewed, 40% as recyclable, and 40% as attritable, the MQ-9B would be the second 40%. This means that armed forces would prefer not to lose it, but it is not much of a problem if they are lost.

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 25 July 2025. Credit for the lead image is GA-ASI.