| General Atomics MQ-1C Grey Eagle | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Description | ||
| Role | UCAV | |
| Crew | Unmanned | |
| Passengers | ||
| First flight | ||
| Entered service | 2009 | |
| Manufacturer | General Atomics | |
| Produced | ||
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 8 m | |
| Wingspan | 17 m | |
| Height | 2.1 m | |
| Wing area | ||
| Weights | ||
| Empty | Classified | |
| Loaded | Classified | |
| Maximum takeoff | 1,451 kg | |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engine | 1 × Thielert Centurion 1.7 Heavy-Fuel engine | |
| Power (each) | 100 kW | |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | ||
| Cruising speed | 250 km/h | |
| Range | 400 km | |
| Ceiling | 8840 m | |
| Rate of climb | ||
The MQ-1C Grey Eagle is an related development of the General Atomics MQ-1B Predator, to be used by the United States Army. It was first flown on 6th June 2007. It is powered by a 100 kW Thielert Centurion 1.7 Heavy Fuel engine. Since 2008 it has replaced the RQ-5 Hunter, to enhance the close air-support capabilities. It is also called ERMP-UAV ( Extended Range Multipurpose Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ). The US Army calls it MQ-12 Warrior ( also Warrior Alpha or Sky Warrior, but those are only nicknames ), but the Pentagon rejected those names and changed it to MQ-1C. In August 2010 the MQ-1C received the nickname Grey Eagle.
The MQ-1C Grey Eagle was also offered to the US Navy, because of the "Maritime Surveillance" program. So that the capabilities of the MQ-1C could be combined with the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, to patrol over the sea. But the MQ-1C lost against the RQ-4N by Northtrop Grumman, which was renamed into MQ-4C.