General Atomics completes flight tests of electronic warfare payload on Gray Eagle

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has completed flight testing of an electronic support measures system built by Sierra Nevada aboard the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range, the manufacturer announced on 15 October.

The equipment detects and collects information from outside a threat range and passes it to ground commanders. According to General Atomics, the upgraded aircraft will be able to carry out detection and targeting beyond weapon engagement zones, which the company says gives the US Army mission assurance.

The manufacturer has not said when the capability might enter operational service, nor how many Gray Eagles will be upgraded. The tests follow an April 2026 contract award for an electronic intelligence capability on the same airframe, also intended to geo-locate threats.

General Atomics president David R Alexander said combining long-range detection with the aircraft's range and endurance means commanders know when an adversary's integrated air defence system is operating. The company described the airframe's open architecture as making the integration straightforward.

The electronic warfare upgrade could improve the type's stand-off performance and survivability. The source notes that the need to balance persistent surveillance against aircraft survivability has been underlined by losses during the US conflict with Iran, where the US Air Force is reported to have lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft by August 2026, each with a unit cost of $56.5 million. A report from October 2026 indicates the Reaper has seen significant attrition, with close to 50 lost over Iran.