General Atomics Aeronautical Systems said on October 12 that it had met Arizona Guard officials over the summer to finalize arrival plans. The unit will support the 40th Infantry Division.
Four additional units are scheduled for fielding by the end of 2029, according to GA-ASI. Congress has funded three Gray Eagle 25M units, which are already under contract with the company.
Once operational, the aircraft could support combatant commanders overseas and missions addressing threats in the Western Hemisphere. Domestic tasks would include disaster response.
“The Gray Eagle has a proven record of performance with 1 million hours of safe operations, including automatic takeoff and landing capability,” said Patrick Shortsleeve, GA-ASI vice president of DoD strategic development. “When you factor in its extensive capabilities, the Gray Eagle is a cost-effective UAS that excels as an enabler for Fires, Maneuver, Network, and Intelligence operations.”
The Gray Eagle 25M updates the Gray Eagle Extended Range for expeditionary operations and advanced sensor missions. Standard equipment includes EagleEye multimode radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors, with options for additional payloads.
GA-ASI lists endurance at nearly 40 hours. The aircraft’s open architecture supports the addition of sensors, networking equipment and payloads for kinetic and non-kinetic effects.
Long-range sensors and launched effects are intended to let the aircraft operate outside the reach of threat weapons. The company identifies land and maritime operations, counter-drone missions, reconnaissance and targeting among its roles.
Assigning Gray Eagles directly to divisions will give Guard units access to the aircraft for mission planning, targeting, communications and training. GA-ASI said that access would help formations develop the coordination needed to use the systems in combat.
The company also sees a potential role in Golden Dome missions, based on the aircraft’s endurance, payload capacity and ability to integrate new equipment. It did not announce a specific Golden Dome task for the Arizona unit.
