The Arizona National Guard is set to become the first state Guard organization to establish a unit equipped with the Gray Eagle 25M unmanned aircraft system. The move places Arizona first in line to field the newest version of the Gray Eagle UAS.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the aircraft’s manufacturer, announced the plan Monday. Arizona will receive eight Gray Eagle 25Ms by September 2027, followed by four additional aircraft by the end of 2029.

The delivery plan establishes a gradual buildup for the Arizona unit. The first eight aircraft are scheduled to arrive before the final four complete the planned deliveries in 2029.

Patrick Shortsleeve, General Atomics’ vice president of War Department strategic development, described the platform as “an integral part of the Army Aviation team.” He said it works closely with advanced autonomy and manned rotary-wing systems in the effort to outpace threats.

“The Gray Eagle has a proven record of performance with 1 million hours of safe operations, including automatic takeoff and landing capability,” Shortsleeve said. The operating record cited by Shortsleeve includes both automatic takeoff and landing functions.

“When you factor in its extensive capabilities, the Gray Eagle is a cost-effective UAS that excels as an enabler for Fires, Maneuver, Network, and Intelligence operations,” he said. Shortsleeve specifically identified those four operational areas when describing the aircraft’s value.

The National Guard’s broader goal is to create a UAS company in each of its eight infantry divisions, according to General Atomics. Arizona’s unit represents the first state effort toward that stated structure.

Congress has currently funded three Gray Eagle 25M Guard units, the company said. That funding covers only part of the National Guard’s stated objective of creating a UAS company across each of the eight infantry divisions.

The Arizona Guard belongs to the 40th Infantry Division, which is headquartered in California. The division covers 11 other states or territories in addition to Arizona.

“Once fully operational, the Gray Eagle 25M can deploy in support of global missions for Combatant Command (COCOM) commanders and defend against threats in the Western Hemisphere,” the company said. General Atomics linked the future Guard capability to global missions and threats within the Western Hemisphere.

The aircraft headed to Arizona is the latest edition of the decades old Gray Eagle UAS. The Gray Eagle 25M made its first flight in December 2023.

That same month, the federal government awarded General Atomics a $389 million contract to develop the system. The contract award and the aircraft’s first flight both occurred during December 2023, according to the timeline provided in the announcement.

General Atomics says the letter “M” in 25M means “modernized.” The designation reflects upgrades that include an open architecture design, advanced datalinks and a newer propulsion system.

Those changes enhance the aircraft’s ability to modify its capabilities and resist electronic threats. They also provide greater payload capacity and longer flight time than the previous Gray Eagle version, according to the manufacturer.

The open architecture design is part of the modernization package alongside the upgraded datalinks and propulsion system. General Atomics says the changes increase what the aircraft can carry and how long it can remain in flight.

The Arizona delivery schedule unfolds in two stages, beginning with eight aircraft by September 2027. Four more Gray Eagle 25Ms are due by the end of 2029 under the schedule announced by General Atomics.

The rollout gives the Arizona Guard the leading position in a National Guard plan calling for UAS companies across eight infantry divisions. Arizona stands as the first state scheduled to establish a unit equipped with the modernized Gray Eagle 25M.