GA-ASI to build Gambit combat drones in Europe from 2027
General Atomics will manufacture its new Gambit combat drones in Europe starting in 2027, a move that promises to embed the US contractor deeper into the continent's defense industrial base while offering NATO allies a cheaper way to counter massed aerial threats.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) will build its Gambit series of Collaborative Combat Aircraft in Europe, with airframes available for allied procurement by 2027. The production will rely on European industry partners and the company’s German affiliate, GA-ATS, to integrate regional mission systems.
The decision signals a deeper integration of a major American defense contractor into Europe’s military supply chain. This localization strategy offers European governments a tangible return on defense investment, creating domestic manufacturing work while securing access to advanced uncrewed systems.
The Gambit rollout accompanies significant upgrades to GA-ASI’s established MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian platforms, already in service with the UK, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Poland, and Canada. With some configurations delivering more than 30 hours of endurance, the company is modifying the drones to carry long-range weapons, including the Joint Strike Missile and Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, for contested environments.
The manufacturer is also developing a short takeoff and landing version, based on the Gray Eagle platform in service with the U.S. Army, to operate from austere bases or naval decks. Furthermore, GA-ASI recently flew an MQ-9B equipped with a new Airborne Early Warning and Control package developed with Saab.
Paired with the newly integrated AGR-20 guided rocket system, a pair of these uncrewed aircraft can detect and destroy incoming drone waves without putting allied crews at risk. The Gambit series is designed to provide affordable mass, allowing nations to field large numbers of systems at a fraction of the cost of traditional manned platforms.
Rather than building expensive multi-mission fighters, GA-ASI designed single-mission uncrewed aircraft that share roughly 70 percent of their core components. The Gambit 6 variant, optimized for electronic warfare and suppression of enemy air defenses, features a signature-reducing internal weapons bay tailored for NATO’s eastern flank.
For European defense ministries facing tightening budgets, these shared components and cross-country maintenance agreements among the growing MQ-9B user base offer a path to reducing operating costs. The platform remains the only remotely piloted aircraft in its class certified to fly in civil airspace, a milestone achieved in the UK last year that standardizes operations across the alliance.
