A rendering of the Gray Eagle 25M. (General Atomics)
WASHINGTON — A prototype of the latest version of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle will be headed to Europe soon for a series of demonstrations, according to the head of General Atomics’ aeronautics division.
General Atomics revealed its new “Gray Eagle 25M” variant — which adds an open mission system architecture, upgraded sensors and new comms links — on Monday during the Association of the US Army’s annual conference.
But while the first production aircraft will start flight tests in March 2023, the company doesn’t want to wait to see how the new configuration performs in operations and will send two prototype versions to US European Command next spring, Dave Alexander, president of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, told Breaking Defense on Monday.
“We’ll be demonstrating this capability overseas,” he said, adding that the demos will take place in March through May. Alexander declined to comment on the exact location of the tests and what US services — or international partners — could be taking part in the event.
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The Gray Eagle 25M will feature new communications links, including over-the-horizon Ku and Ka-band satellite communications, Link 16, and software-defined ultra-high frequency and very high frequency communication links, according to a company brochure. It will carry the Eagle Eye radar for surveillance of moving targets on land or in the water, but can also be equipped with other sensors due to the open mission system architecture.
The new variant also includes the new 200 horsepower Heavy Fuel Engine 2.0 created by General Atomics, which brings about a 50% improvement in electrical power, Alexander said.
For the exercise, General Atomics is modifying two government-owned Gray Eagle ER drones with the Eagle Eye radar “so you can practice the concept of operations, build tactics and procedures and see how to use it,” Alexander said. However, those aircraft won’t have the full upgrade package associated with the 25M, including the new engine.
In the past, the Army has used Gray Eagle for armed overwatch, providing surveillance over troops on the ground and striking adversary forces. However, the improved communications capability of the 25M variant would allow it to operate forward, looking for enemy air defenses or weapon systems and relaying information back so that precision fires can take out targets, Alexander said.
The fabrication of the first production Gray Eagle 25M — which will be equipped with the HFE 2.0 and all of the other upgrades — is currently wrapping up, with check out and ground taxi tests likely to occur in “about six weeks,” Alexander said. The first two 25M variants will be used for flight qualification, with flight tests beginning in March.
Following that testing, General Atomics plans to start work on another six 25M drones for the US Army, which will begin delivering at the end of fiscal 2025. Those aircraft are not yet under contract, but will likely be paid for using the $123 million that Congress added to Army Gray Eagle procurement in FY22, said General Atomics spokesman C. Mark Brinkley.
“Following that, we’d like to get into rate production of at least 12 per year,” but that will depend on the Army’s modernization plans for its legacy Gray Eagle fleet, Alexander said.
