General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has announced that the Army National Guard (ARNG) has ordered 12 Gray Eagle 25M (GE 25M) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) paid for as part of 2023 congressional funding.
The funding comes after ARNG leaders, which make up 45 percent of the U.S. Army’s combat divisions, requested GE 25Ms to make ARNG Divisions mirror the active component in being Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) capable, deployable, and better able to team with newly formed Division Artillery Brigades (DIVARTY). They will also be available to support domestic missions, such as homeland defense and disaster response, as needed.
GE 25M is a modernized model of the Gray Eagle designed to meet the U.S. Army’s needs for MDO capability for both active duty and National Guard units. GE 25M is equipped with the new EagleEye multi-mode radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors, and can host a wide range of additional kinetic and non-kinetic payloads.
Equipping ARNG Divisions with organic GE 25Ms makes possible the necessary mission planning, targeting, communications, detailed coordination, and realistic training needed to employ the systems successfully in combat. GE 25M will allow ARNG Divisions to have Divisional Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) for the first time.
GE 25M flew its maiden flight on Dec. 5, 2023, following the award of an undefinitized contract award announced on Dec. 1, 2023, for the Gray Eagle 25M Production Representative Test Aircraft.
“The Gray Eagle platform has a proven record of performance with over a million hours of safe operations, including automatic takeoff and landing capability,” said GA-ASI Vice President of DoD Strategic Development Patrick Shortsleeve. “The aircraft excels as an enabler for Fires, Maneuver, Network, and Intelligence operations. It is also an integral part of the Army Aviation team, working closely with manned rotary-wing systems to achieve overmatch against pacing threats.”
