On December 8, 2022, General Atomics' MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) UAS launched a new survivable Air-Launched Effect (ALE) known as "Eaglet" for the first time as part of a flight demonstration from the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah.
According to a statement released by General Atomics on January 31, Eaglet was air-launched in December from a US Army-owned Gray Eagle Extended Range UAS as part of a project funded by the service"s Combat Capabilities Development Army Research Laboratory and Aviation & Missile Centre.
Eaglet is classified as "ALE Large," which includes larger, more powerful sensors or payloads. Eaglet"s design allows it to carry a wide variety of payloads in support of multiple Army missions.
The Eaglet design expands commanders" battlefield options while shortening their decision cycles. Gray Eagle can transport Eaglet for thousands of kilometres before launching it using unmanned-unmanned teaming or as part of advanced teaming command and control concepts.
Eaglets can support deep sensing in Multi-Domain Operations by collaborating with other long-range payloads carried by Gray Eagles, helicopters, or other platforms.
(Photo The Drive)
With the Eaglet"s successful flight, GA-ASI will collaborate with the US Department of Defence (DoD) to include it in additional exercises to determine its potential. The Eaglet is the newest concept in GA-Evolution ASI"s Series of advanced unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
