General Atomics Aeronautical - Protector RG MK1

THE NEXT GENERATION OF REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT

GA-ASI is deeply committed to the United Kingdom, British Armed Forces, and the industries that support them.

For over 15 years, the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) MQ-9A Reaper® has provided exceptional service for operations and exercises worldwide. Now, the RAF is the first force to operate the next generation of multi-domain Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS): Protector RG Mk 1.

Protector represents a step change in capability for the RAF in support of a broad range of defense and security missions and is designed from the ground up to comply with stringent NATO STANAG 4671 and UK MOD DEF STAN 00-970 standards as well as meet civil airspace requirements in the U.S. and around the world.

In May 2025, the aircraft passed a rigorous airworthiness assessment to receive a Military Type Certificate (MTC) from the UK Military Aviation Authority, confirming its safety for unrestricted operational use – including supporting civilian agencies in search & rescue and disaster response missions. Protector is the first aircraft of its kind to achieve this milestone, enabling seamless integration into UK and European civil airspace. Certifiable Ground Control Stations (CGCS) give operators a similar, if not better, air traffic view than the cockpit of crewed aircraft, enhancing the decision-making process by helping identify potentially hazardous situations more quickly and easily.

Based on MQ-9B SkyGuardian®, the world’s most advanced multi-domain RPAS, Protector RG Mk 1 will deliver superior intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance capabilities to the RAF, replacing the current Reaper capability.

Our Team

The Protector program is supported by the best in British aerospace and defense.

100+

Years of UK Aviation Expertise

£400M+

Reinvested into UK Industry

200+

UK Companies in Supply Chain

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Operations & International Cooperation


Protector RG MK1
Protector RG Mk 1 First Flight in the UK

Protector will operate out of RAF Waddington, home to the Protector RG Mk 1 Training Center, command & control for overseas operations, site of launch & recovery supporting domestic training, and The Oxspring NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) Campus for international partners.

Underscoring the RAF & United Kingdom’s commitment to advancing defense capabilities and international cooperation, the UK and Belgium established the MQ-9B International Cooperative Program (MICP) to provide the processes and functionality to cooperate across certification, airworthiness, training, sustainment, and capability enhancements. In July 2024, they became founding partnership member nations in the MQ-9 International Cooperation (MIC) Support Partnership (SP) formed under the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). MIC SP will provide a proven and turnkey legal framework for:

  • Furthering cooperation amongst member nations
  • Enhancing interoperability
  • Facilitating training and fostering collaboration
Member nations will have the opportunity to draw on UK expertise from its Protector MTC and take advantage of training provided through the NFTE RPAS facility — helping member nations develop common tactics, techniques & procedures and deliver exceptional support services to the MQ-9B community.

News & Media

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