MQ-9B SkyGuardian flies for first time in Belgian skies

Following its arrival in August 2025 at Florennes Air Base, the first of four MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) ordered by the Belgian Ministry of Defence from made its first flight over Belgium on 23 September, manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) announced the following day.

The first flight in Belgium follows a busy year of preparation for the aircraft. In July 2025, at GA-ASI’s test facilities in Southern California, Belgium’s first MQ-9B completed acceptance test procedures, which included the actual maiden flight of the aircraft on 20 February. In parallel, 18 Belgian Air and Space Component personnel completed initial MQ-9B training that took place at GA-ASI’s Flight Test & Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and live flight training at its Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facility in El Mirage, California.

“With the MQ-9B SkyGuardian, Belgium enters a new era of ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] capability,” the Belgian air chief, Major General Geert De Decker, was quoted as saying in a GA-ASI press release. “This achievement reflects not only technological progress, but also the strength of our collaboration with General Atomics, built on mutual understanding, trust and a shared commitment to operational excellence.”

The Belgian Air and Space Component thus joins the UK’s Royal Air Force as the first European operators of the MQ-9B, which recently became the first large UAV to obtain a Military Type Certificate. This was granted by the UK’s Military Aviation Authority on 29 April 2025 for the Protector: the RAF’s MQ-9B variant. MTC certifies the SkyGuardian’s safe operation in civil airspace without geographic restrictions, including over populated areas.

As well as the US Air Force in support of Air Force Special Operations Command, other forces that have selected the MQ-9B include those of Canada, Denmark, India, Japan Poland and Taiwan.