General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has completed the first flight of an MQ-9B SkyGuardian for European customer Belgium.
Performed from El Mirage, California on 20 February, the milestone was announced by the airframer on 25 March.
The company describes the milestone event as “part of a series of ground and flight tests conducted to validate the performance of the Belgian MQ-9B”.
“The objective of the flight was to prove controllability and safe landing of the aircraft,” it adds, noting that the programme “will move forward with further development flight tests”.
Belgium has ordered four of the remotely piloted aircraft, with its Foreign Military Sales-programme purchase – signed in August 2020 – also to include the provision of two ground control stations.
“These remotely piloted aircraft mark a key step in strengthening our surveillance, reconnaissance, and operational support capabilities,” the Belgian defence ministry says. “Thanks to their cutting-edge technology, they will open up new perspectives for the security and defence of our country.”
The UK Royal Air Force also is in the process of fielding the MQ-9B, with the service to operate armed examples of the platform under the name Protector.
