General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ MQ-9A “Big Wing” UAS flew in the hostile climate of the Canadian Arctic. GA-ASI
Military Times reports reports,
About $266 million of the nearly $25 billion that the Coast Guard received in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed into law in July will be used to procure the service’s own MQ-9 Alpha long-range unmanned aerial systems, Lieutenant Commander Steve Roth said.
I am glad to see the Coast Guard buying its own airframes but I don’t understand why they are not buying the MQ-9B SeaGuardian that is optimized for over ocean search and includes Minotaur like all Coast Guard fixed wing aircraft along with link 16. From. Wikipedia:
The MQ-9Bs performance changes include a 79 ft (24 m) wingspan that has winglets and enough fuel for a 40-hour endurance at 50,000 ft (15,000 m). Features include High Definition EO/IR Full Motion Video sensor, De/Anti-Icing System, TCAS, and Automatic Take-Off & Land. The system also includes a completely redesigned & modernized integrated ground control station with 4 crew stations.
Thanks to David for bring this to my attention.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
Are they more USAF hand me downs on the cheap like the Marines have been doing?
Who are going to be operating these drones, and where are these drones going to be based? Hopefully not near any busy commercial airport
For over twelve years the Coast Guard has had a couple MQ-9As that it operated with Customs and Border Protection that were operated out of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. (I think they were Customs and Border Protection aircraft.) The new assets are apparently expected to operate out of those bases.
Some new pilots will be trained.