General Atomics has begun flight testing its MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range model.
A production representative said Gray Eagle ER made its first successful flight Oct. 29 from the General Atomics El Mirage Flight Operations Facility in Adelanto, California, according to a company news release.
The Gray Eagle ER is a General Atomics internal research project to increase the range and payload of the MQ-1C.
"The aircraft is engineered with a Maximum Gross Takeoff Weight (MGTOW) of 4,200 pounds compared with Gray Eagle’s MGTOW of 3,600 pounds," General Atomics said. "The incorporation of MQ-1C ER’s straight belly design allows for more than 910 pounds of internal fuel and a centerline hard point that can accommodate an optional fuel pod with an additional 450 pounds. With endurance at more than 40 hours, the aircraft will exceed the Army’s requirement for 14 hours on station at 1,000 kilometers for all mission types."
In addition, the MQ-1C ER features an upgraded Heavy Fuel Engine-180 (HFE-180) with more horsepower, better cooling and greater reliability. The UAV is expected to complete flight testing in June 2017, after which it will begin a series of Army tests culminating in the program’s second Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation in late 2017.
The first four UAVs are expected to be delivered in the second and third quarters of 2017, with an additional 15 in 2018.
