GA-ASI’s UK and Japan MQ-9B Programs Are Honored With Excellence Awards from Aviation Week

SAN DIEGO, March 24, 2026. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) was named the winner of two awards during Aviation Week’s 21st annual Program Excellence Awards last week. GA-ASI’s United Kingdom (UK) Protector Program was given the Special Projects Award, while its Japan COCO (Company-Owned, Company-Operated) Program won in the category of OEM System Sustainment.

“We’re excited that these two important MQ-9B international programs have been recognized by Aviation Week,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. “We’re fortunate to have an incredible team of employees whose dedication and commitment to our customers is truly remarkable.”

MQ-9B is GA-ASI’s most advanced Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) system and includes the SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian® models, as well as the UK’s Protector RG Mk1.

In 2025, GA-ASI achieved the first-ever Military Type Certificate (MTC) for the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Protector RG Mk1, passing a rigorous airworthiness assessment and verifying its safe operation without geographic restrictions. The global impact of the UK Protector MTC was recognized because it’s a singular achievement that enables routine UAS operations in civil airspace from domestic RAF bases, drastically expanding its operational flexibility and reducing reliance on segregated ranges or overseas deployments. But more importantly, it serves as a proof of concept for future unmanned systems seeking full integration into regulated airspace and sets a precedent for allied and NATO forces worldwide.

In Japan, the MQ-9B SeaGuardian COCO Program has proven so successful that the aircraft that had been leased to Japan have now been converted to sales, with additional MQ-9Bs now on order. SeaGuardian has been used by Japan to deliver real-time situational awareness anywhere in the maritime domain — day or night. It is also the first RPA in its class to enable real-time search and patrol above and below the ocean’s surface.