Army Opens Runway-Independent Drone Challenge to Replace Gray Eagle

Overview

• An Army request for information frames an industry 'challenge' for Group 4 or larger S/VTOL drones of at least 1,320 pounds that do not require a runway.
• Required capabilities include long endurance with multi-mission payloads, advanced EO/IR and atmospheric sensors, autonomous operations with collision avoidance, survivability with open architectures, and CMMC Level 2.
• Responses are due Jan. 8, and the notice does not explain how the challenge will be run after submissions.
• The effort follows a shift under the Transformation Initiative to stop new Gray Eagle buys, retain and upgrade newer airframes, and retire older versions around 2028.
• General Atomics has signaled potential interest with its Mojave demonstrator, and earlier reporting indicates laser integration could be explored later, though it is absent from the current RFI.