MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System
Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP)
Program facts
- Program number
- 420
- Short name
- MQ-1C Gray Eagle
- Acquisition pathway
- Major Capability Acquisition (MCA)
- Acquisition category
- ACAT IC
- Acquisition status
- Full operational capability or full deployment (FOC/FD)
- Lead component
-
Department of the Army
Department of Defense
- Contract awards
- 82
- Contract obligations
- $6,875,733,860 Since fiscal year 2015
Program details come from the Department of Defense's acquisition program list. Contract figures come from SAM.gov (formerly FPDS).
Contract obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Obligated |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $290,493,148 |
| FY2025 | $435,440,856 |
| FY2024 | $719,790,562 |
| FY2023 | $622,124,829 |
| FY2022 | $769,451,208 |
| FY2021 | $728,208,817 |
| FY2020 | $925,894,209 |
| FY2019 | $1,489,660,842 |
| FY2018 | $492,187,362 |
| FY2017 | $402,394,844 |
Top contractors by obligations
| Rank | Contractor | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. | $6,837,341,059 | |
| 2 | BAE Systems Information & Electronic Systems Integration Inc. | $38,031,174 | |
| 3 | Argentech Solutions, Inc. | $150,000 | |
| 4 | Honeywell International Inc. | $124,443 | |
| 5 | Cort Business Services Corporation | $87,184 |
Contract awards
Show 40 more
Latest 50 of 82 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
About this program
The MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System is a Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) managed by the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation under Acquisition Category IC. This medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle system provides intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and target acquisition capabilities for the U.S. Army. The program includes procurement of aircraft, ground control stations, data terminals, spares, and associated support equipment, as well as comprehensive sustainment services both within and outside the continental United States.
Contract awards associated with the Gray Eagle program typically range from small engineering service delivery orders of $100,000-$500,000 to major production and logistics support contracts exceeding $3 billion. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., operating from Poway, California, is the dominant prime contractor as the original equipment manufacturer, receiving the majority of awards through cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-incentive contract types. Common subcontractors include L3 Technologies, Honeywell International, Textron Systems, and various communications and aerospace component manufacturers. The U.S. Army Contracting Command - Redstone and PEO Aviation are the primary contracting authorities, with most awards having no small business set-aside designations. Typical contract durations range from 12 months for specific engineering tasks to 5-8 years for major production and sustainment efforts.
Quick answers
What is MQ-1C Gray Eagle?
MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System is a Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) led by the Department of the Army. It follows the Major Capability Acquisition (MCA) pathway and is ACAT IC. Its acquisition status is full operational capability or full deployment (FOC/FD).
How much has MQ-1C Gray Eagle obligated on contracts?
82 contract awards are coded to MQ-1C Gray Eagle, and their actions have obligated $6,875,733,860 since fiscal year 2015.
Who are the top contractors on MQ-1C Gray Eagle?
The contractors obligated the most on MQ-1C Gray Eagle contracts are General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. ($6,837,341,059), BAE Systems Information & Electronic Systems Integration Inc. ($38,031,174) and Argentech Solutions, Inc. ($150,000).
How much did MQ-1C Gray Eagle obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Contracts coded to MQ-1C Gray Eagle obligated $435,440,856 in fiscal year 2025.
What is the latest contract award for MQ-1C Gray Eagle?
The latest contract award coded to MQ-1C Gray Eagle is W58RGZ26F0324, awarded to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. on May 19, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
- Every contract award coded to this program
- Funding analysis by contractor, agency, place of performance and set-aside
- Alerts for new awards
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