The U.S. Coast Guard announced Oct. 9 that it is purchasing four MQ-9B long-range unmanned aircraft systems, along with ground control stations and supporting equipment, for $247.8 million. The order marks the service’s first acquisition of MQ-9B drones.
The aircraft will support offshore surveillance, search and rescue operations and counter-drug trafficking missions, the Coast Guard said in a news release. They are not expected to carry weapons, a service spokesperson told Breaking Defense.
“The MQ-9B long-range unmanned aircraft systems will expand our reach and strengthen our ability to protect the nation,” Anthony Antognoli, assistant commandant and program executive officer for robotics and autonomous systems, said in a statement. “This investment will give Coast Guard crews a longer-range view of our maritime domain, helping them detect threats earlier, make better-informed decisions and act faster across our missions.”
Funding for the purchase came from the FY25 reconciliation package, which included nearly $25 billion for the Coast Guard, along with FY26 appropriations, the service said. The Coast Guard first revealed plans to buy the drones last year, using funding from President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed in July 2025, according to Military Times.
The Coast Guard has previously flown U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s MQ-9A drones for operations out of Texas. In FY26, those aircraft supported CBP in seizing 60,700 pounds of illegal drugs and apprehending roughly 20 smugglers, the Coast Guard said.
General Atomics, which builds the MQ-9B SeaGuardian, says the aircraft is designed for maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions lasting more than 30 hours, with a mission radius of roughly 1,200 nautical miles.
Sources: Naval News · Breaking Defense