Gray Eagle on a Growth Spurt

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems may have built the last of the original Predator As, but the iconic UAV's re-invention as the MQ-1C Gray Eagle looks to be going from strength to strength. The US Army is accelerating procurement and plans to have 17 units equipped by the end of FY2015.

Photos: US Army

The service is also accelerating pre-planned product improvements (P3I), according to a recent presentation by Tim Owings, deputy project manager for Army unmanned aircraft systems.

On the payload side, the Block 1 aircraft to be fielded beginning next year will include the Northrop Grumman ZPY-1 STARliteSAR/GMTI radar and TRICLOPS, which equips the UAV with not one, but three Raytheon CSP EO/IR/laser balls. Block 3, planned for FY14, will bring on board the Tactical SIGINT Payload (TSP)pod.

The WIN-T Communications Payload, which will extend the reach of the Army's wideband network, is planned for Block 4 in FY15. Lockheed Martin's TRACER counter-concealment penetrating radar is scheduled for Block 5, in FY16, and the Army has an unfunded plan to add Northrop Grumman's dismount-detecting VADER active electronically scanned array SAR/GMTI radar with Block 6.

On the weapons side, the  Army has unfunded requirements to add to Block 3 the Hellfire R with multi-purpose warhead andRaytheon's Griffin - a 33lb tube-launched, laser-guided missile - but is funded to arm the Gray Eagle with Hellfire's replacement, the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile, beginning with Block 6.

Sprinkled through the Army's P3I plans are possible airframe and performance upgrades such as increased take-off power, an extended wing, and the capability for wet-runway, short-field and even via-satcom automatic take-offs and landings. The Army may be fairly new to the Predator family, but clearly has grand plans for its Gray Eagle.