Arming of the MQ-1C Sky Warrior, a substantially advanced derivative of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) Predator has come to fruition as the U.S. Army pushes toward a milestone 'C' decision, widely expected in February, which will clear the way for low-rate initial production (LRIP). The soon to be re-designated Gray Eagle UAV, currently called the extended range/multi-purpose (ERMP) unmanned aircraft system by the Army, is being rushed into service, with newly-formed quick reaction capability (QRC) units in Iraq and Afghanistan.
MQ-1C Sky Warrior Block 1 UAV (to be redesignated Gray Eagle)
Created as part of Defense Secretary Robert Gates' intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) surge, the initial QRC-1 unit is now deployed in Iraq with four unarmed aircraft providing long-endurance, wide-area reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and communications relay capability. The current weapons tests, which began at the U.S. Naval Air Weapons Center at China Lake, California, with two successful initial Hellfire shots in late November and on December 1, form part of preparations to arm QRC-2 aircraft which will be deployed to Afghanistan in July.
The eight MQ-1C aircraft making up the QRC-1 and 2 units are built to the same Block 1 production standard, with the exception that the four QRC2 versions will be qualified to carry the Hellfire so commanders to take on precision strike missions at short notice. Block 1 aircraft are powered by a heavy-fuel, 160-hp. Thielert 2.0-liter engine that has now been cleared for operations to 30,000 ft. says Tim Owings, deputy project manager for unmanned aircraft systems for the Army's aviation program executive office. Clearance follows the resolution of "issues" with the full-authority digital engine control that cropped up during high-altitude missions with an initial batch of Block 0 standard Sky Warrior 'Alpha' vehicles deployed to provide operators with hands-on experience with the MQ-1C and its German-built engine. Unlike the Block 0 and QRC-1 Block 1, the latter equipped with the Army "One System" compatible data link, the QRC2 aircraft will be deployed with the GAASI-built Lynx Block 30 synthetic aperture radar (SAR). This augments the Common Sensor Payload electro-optical/infrared system to give all-weather moving target indication to 23 km. (14 mi.) at coverage rates of up to 5 km./sec., and at imaging resolutions down to 4 in. at 20 km. and 1 ft. at 50 km. range, says the manufacturer. Follow-on production aircraft, however, will be equipped with Northrop Grumman's STARLite SAR, the first unit of which is expected to be delivered to the Poway site by year-end.