$247.8 million will buy the Coast Guard four MQ-9B unmanned aircraft systems and the ground-control gear to run them — a near-quarter‑billion dollar entry into long‑range maritime drone operations for the service.
Purchase details: four MQ-9B SeaGuardians and supporting equipment
The Coast Guard announced an order for four MQ-9B SeaGuardian aircraft, with the service saying the acquisition totaled $247.8 million. That figure covers the four aircraft along with ground control stations and "other supporting equipment," the Coast Guard said in its news release.
Operational roles: offshore surveillance, search and rescue, and counternarcotics
The service described the MQ-9B purchase as an investment to "expand our reach and strengthen our ability to protect the nation." The Coast Guard said the aircraft will be used to oversee offshore waters, conduct search and rescue operations, and help counter drug trafficking operations, among other missions. A service spokesperson told Breaking Defense the MQ-9Bs are not expected to carry weapons.
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End the scrambleFunding source: FY25 reconciliation and the July 2025 package
The Coast Guard said funding for the MQ-9B acquisition came from the FY25 reconciliation package and FY26 appropriations. The service linked the buy to money it received from President Donald Trump’s "One Big Beautiful Bill," which passed in July 2025, and to a broader FY25 reconciliation package that included nearly $25 billion for the Coast Guard.
Previous partnership with Customs and Border Protection
The Coast Guard has previously operated alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using CBP’s MQ-9A aircraft out of Texas, the service noted. In its factsheet, the Coast Guard said those MQ-9A operations supported CBP efforts that resulted in the seizure of 60,700 pounds of illegal drugs and the apprehension of roughly 20 "smugglers" in FY26.
Platform capabilities: endurance and range from General Atomics
General Atomics, the manufacturer of the MQ-9B SeaGuardian, describes the platform as capable of maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions lasting more than 30 hours at a time with a mission radius of roughly 1,200 nautical miles. Those performance figures are the baseline the Coast Guard can expect to leverage for extended offshore monitoring and long‑range tasking.
What this means for the Coast Guard, CBP, and search‑and‑rescue teams
- For the Coast Guard: the service frames the purchase as an expansion of reach and decision advantage, with Assistant Commandant and program executive officer for robotics and autonomous systems Anthony Antognoli saying the MQ-9B will help crews "detect threats earlier, make better-informed decisions and act faster across our missions."
- For Customs and Border Protection: CBP’s earlier use of MQ-9A aircraft out of Texas and the documented FY26 results suggest continued operational interplay between the agencies; the Coast Guard will now field its own MQ-9B assets in addition to prior CBP-provided support.
- For search-and-rescue teams: the SeaGuardian’s endurance and range give afloat and shore-based responders a longer‑range view of maritime incidents, matching the Coast Guard’s stated intent to enhance offshore oversight and rescue coordination.
The Coast Guard has moved from relying on partner-owned MQ-9A flights to acquiring its own MQ-9B SeaGuardians, a step the service says will extend maritime visibility and speed decision cycles across multiple mission areas. The service emphasizes the buy was funded through the FY25 reconciliation package and related FY26 appropriations; what remains to be seen in the public record is how quickly the aircraft and their ground systems will be delivered and integrated into operational squadrons.
