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World Aviation Defense & Security Industry News - United States
 
 
US Army places order for four new MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAVs
 
The US-based unmanned aircraft manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.has been awarded a $25,287,320 contract from the US Army for acquisition of four Gray Eagle War replacement aircraft and four satellite air data terminals under the Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft Systems full rate production contract, the US DoD announced on Sept. 16.
     
US Army places order for four new MQ 1C Gray Eagle UAVs 640 001A US Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV
(Credit: GA-ASI)
     
"Work will be performed in Poway, California, with an estimated completion date of December 30, 2017. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity," the US DoD said.

An essential element of the U.S. Army's Aviation Modernization Plan, GA-ASI's Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) is an innovative and technologically advanced derivative of the combat-proven Predator.


Gray Eagle has an endurance of 25 hours, speeds up to 167 KTAS, can operate up to 29,000 feet, and carries 1,075 lb (488 kg) of internal and external payload. The aircraft can carry multiple payloads aloft, including Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) with laser designation, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), communications relay, and four Hellfire missiles.

ray Eagle features an automatic takeoff and landing system (ATLS) that allows the aircraft to be launched and recovered without any operator interaction.

The Army is equipping 15 companies with Gray Eagle drones to go to every active-duty division. Two to three companies are being fielded annually until 2018.

 

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