MQ-1C Grey Eagle
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MQ-1C Grey Eagle

MQ-1C Grey Eagle

UAV General Atomics Sky Warrior due to modernization would be renamed MQ-1C Gray Eagle, refers to multi-purpose tactical unmanned vehicles. Unlike other representatives of this branch, the UAV has increased flight range characteristics. Designed on the basis of the MQ-1 Predator UAV specially for the US Air Force. In 2002, the army representative office announced a contest under the conditions of the ERMP program to create a worthy replacement for the Israeli IAI RQ-5 Hunter. During the contest, only two worthy options were identified: an improved version of RQ-5 and Sky Warrior. At the end of long checks after 3, the competition was won by the second applicant. As a result, the Air Force made an order for 11 systems with 12 units of UAVs and 5 ground control stations in each.

The first test flight took place in Sky Warrior October 2004 years. The project enjoyed the customer, and after some improvements in 2009 year had already started to apply in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2010 year UAV has received a new name - MQ-1C Grey Eagle. And in September, the US Army has officially confirmed rumors about deployment of systems 4 Grey Eagle in Afghanistan.

Although the MQ-1C was made on the basis of the Predator, they still differ from each other. In particular, in comparison with the basic model of Sky Warrior has a wing with a large scale. The installed Thielert Centurion 1.7 engine is more optimized for flying and maneuvering at high altitudes. Having flown to a height of 7620 m, the UAV is able to hold itself in the air for up to 36 hours, while its combat radius of use is 370 km. The nose of the fuselage is more enlarged, since at this point the engineers installed a radar with a synthesized beam aperture. Due to this, the drone can operate in the mapping mode. Also new to the serial UAV is the installation of the multispectral viewing system AAS-52.    

MQ-1C Grey Eagle. Characteristics:



Modification   MQ-1C
Wingspan, m   17.07
Aircraft Length m   8.53
Height, m   2.06
Weight, kg  
  empty   1452
  maximum take-off   1633
engine's type   1 DD Thielert Centurion 1.7
Power, hp   X 1 145
Maximum speed km / h   250
Cruising speed, km / h   195
Radius of action, km   370
Flight duration, h   36
Practical ceiling, m   8840
Armament:   up to 363 kg of armament, including four air-to-surface UM AGM-114 Hellfire and KUB GBU-44 / N Viper Strike on four underwing pylons
Payload:   261 kg target equipment, including Northrop Grumman ZPY-1 STARLite radar, Raytheon AAS-52 gyro-stabilized front vent turret with optoelectronic and infrared sensors, laser target designator

 

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