Gray Eagle
Armed Persistence
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 offers a reliable, affordable, low-risk, and compelling next-generation tactical UAS solution to meet challenging service requirements for persistent Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) and attack operations.
Gray Eagle has an endurance of 25 hours, speeds up to167 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.
Compared to the Predator predecessor, Gray Eagle's Heavy Fuel Engine (HFE) supports the Army's "single fuel in the battlefield" concept and provides increased horsepower and significantly improved fuel efficiency, utilizing either jet or diesel fuel.
An extremely reliable UAS, Gray Eagle features a fault-tolerant control system and a triple-redundant avionics system architecture, similar to the systems integrated in the battle-proven Predator B. Designed with airworthiness as a primary consideration, Gray Eagle is engineered to meet and exceed manned aircraft reliability standards.
This long-range, long-dwell UAS is dedicated to direct operational control by Army field commanders. Its expansive mission set includes, but is not limited, to wide-area Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), convoy protection, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detection and defeat, close air support, communications relay, and weapons delivery missions.
Gray Eagle features an automatic takeoff and landing system (ATLS) that allows the aircraft to be launched and recovered without any operator interaction. Gray Eagle aircraft have successfully conducted tens of thousands of takeoffs and landings.
| Objective |
|---|
| Provide a long-endurance, persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and tactical strike capability. |
| Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Wing Span: | 56 ft (17m) |
| Length: | 28 ft (9m) |
| Powerplant: | Thielert 165 HP heavy-fuel engine |
| Max Gross Takeoff Weight: | 3,600 lb (1633 kg) |
| Fuel Capacity: | 575 lb (261 kg) |
| Payload Capacity: | 575 lb int. (261 kg) 500 lb ext. (227 kg) |
| Weapons: | 4 Hellfire missiles |
| Payloads: | EO/IR SAR/GMTI Communications relay |
| Power: | 9 kW (redundant) |
| Performance | |
| Max Altitude: | 29,000 ft (8839.2m) |
| Max Endurance: | 25 hr |
| Max Air Speed: | 167 KTAS |
| Features |
|---|
|