The United States Army has indicated that it will not make new purchases of the older MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), as part of a sweeping overhaul of the service. Incidentally, the announcement corresponds with the drone’s participation in the recently concluded PC-C5 exercise.
On May 1, the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Randy George, and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll released a joint memo stating, “We will cancel procurement of outdated crewed attack aircraft such as the AH-64D … and obsolete UAVs like the Gray Eagle.”
The memo further added, “Our Army must transform now to a leaner, more lethal force by infusing technology, cutting obsolete systems, and reducing overhead to defeat any adversary on an ever-changing battlefield.” The memo comes as the service is looking to induct more technologically advanced drones as part of a sweeping overhaul.
The Army is also targeting a variety of ground-based systems, such as the Humvee and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), in addition to the AH-64 attack helicopter and the MQ-1C reconnaissance drone.
The Gray Eagle MQ-1C is manufactured by General Atomics and is an upgraded version of the Predator drone, which was widely used by the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan. The decision to end the purchase of the drone is part of the reform initiative, known as the Army Transformation Initiative (ATI), also announced on May 1, 2025.
Ukraine Makes Combat Aviation History! Its Sea Drone Shoots Down Russian Su-30 Fighter In Shock Kill
The ATI is a comprehensive strategy designed to modernize and restructure the US Army in response to rapidly evolving global threats and technological advancements.
The ATI is led by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and aligns with a memo published by him on April 30 in which he demanded that the Army divest “outdated, redundant, and inefficient” programs in favor of new priorities, such as air and missile defense and long-range precision bombs. Without naming any particular platform, Hegseth’s memo called for the “end [of] procurement of obsolete systems,” including “outdated UAVs.”
The decision comes as a more advanced drone used by the US Army—the MQ-9 Reaper—has repeatedly been shot down by the Houthis in the Middle East, exposing the vulnerability of these cutting-edge but older drones. In fact, much before these latest losses, the US Air Force (USAF) proposed shrinking its MQ-9 fleet from 351 to 276 by the end of fiscal year 2023 and potentially halting production.
Interestingly, the latest announcement about halting the Gray Eagle purchase corresponds with the drone’s participation in a key US Army military exercise. As announced by its manufacturer, GA-ASI, in a media release, the drone participated in PC-C5, the US Army’s premier modernization experiment.
“The GE-ER was equipped with commercially available next-generation long-range sensors that were operated by Army Soldiers throughout the event. The GA-ASI-produced UAS flew unimpeded by the employed electronic threats and generated targets of interest at Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)-relevant ranges for the 82nd Airborne Division and participating units,” the release noted.
Additionally, the US Army troops demonstrated Gray Eagle’s laptop-based Expeditionary Ground Control System, which is designed to minimize the footprint of both personnel and materials and allows soldiers to fly missions from tents, structures, or movable shelters, easing the process of quickly moving or deploying to distant locations lacking conventional infrastructure.
“The Gray Eagle is a true workhorse,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “We were able to rapidly integrate third-party systems, develop Soldier-focused interfaces, and disseminate relevant data to support MDO requirements for long-range deep sensing and ATNE. GE-ER’s long-range sensors enabled it to execute missions outside of the threat range, proving survivability against advanced threats.”
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has been making concerted efforts to upgrade the drone for modern combat. It has produced upgraded drone variants, including the Gray Eagle 25M and Gray Eagle STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) UAV.
These drones feature new sensors, communications, and short-field capabilities, making them compatible with the evolving battlefield. Thus, it is safe to say that the timing of the memo could not have been more interesting.
The decision to stop buying the drone could come as a big upset to the manufacturer. The Army has acquired a minimum of 204 MQ-1C Gray Eagles by 2019, 101 of which were configured for Extended Range (ER). Additionally, in 2024, the Army National Guard ordered 12 Gray Eagle 25M variants.
MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drone
The MQ-1C Gray Eagle is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial system (UAS) developed by General Atomics for the US Army.
An enhanced version of the combat-proven Predator UAV, the Gray Eagle is tasked with operations such as reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, command and control, communications relay, signals intelligence (SIGINT), electronic warfare (EW), attack, improvised explosive device (IED), and battle damage assessment.
The drone, which measures 26 meters in length and 52 meters in wingspan, has a maximum take-off weight of 1,633 kilograms and a payload of 360 kilograms. It is powered by a 164 hp heavy fuel engine, has a maximum speed of 309 kilometers per hour (mph), a service ceiling of 29,000 ft, and an endurance of 25 hours.
It supports manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) with platforms like the AH-64 Apache and can carry payloads such as Hellfire missiles and Viper Strike munitions. The aircraft’s AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles can hit mobile and stationary ground targets between a range of 500m to eight kilometers. The external payloads, such as disposable sensors and weaponry, can be installed in the wing hardpoints.
The drone is controlled by a single-system ground control station (OSGCS), a software and hardware solution that may be installed on a standard medium tactical vehicle weighing five tons. The operator consoles launch weapons, control payloads, and perform command and control.
The drone is currently operated exclusively by the US Army, including the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and the Army National Guard. At one point, a sale of four of these drones to Ukraine was considered, but the proposal never took off due to concerns of escalation with Russia.
The drone has been upgraded in recent times. The Gray Eagle 25M version, for instance, took its first flight only in December 2023. This cutting-edge drone offers features like an enhanced heavy-fuel engine, more onboard power, drastically lower maintenance needs, and the Expeditionary Ground Control System, among other things.
The other upgraded variant is the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL), designed to enhance operational flexibility by enabling operations from short or unprepared runways. It can operate from runways that are as short as 1,000–1,500 feet, as opposed to the 5,000 feet that Gray Eagles typically require, allowing deployment from forward operating bases, harsh conditions, or even military vessels like amphibious ships.
Both UAVs have been actively offered to the US Army. The Gray Eagle 25M drone has already been procured, albeit in small numbers, but the STOL currently remains on offer. However, the future of both these drones now looks increasingly uncertain, with the latest announcement having triggered speculation that the fleet of MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones would likely be decommissioned ahead of schedule instead.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari9555(at)gmail.com
- Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
