US Army’s Gray Eagle Gets Hellfire

The US Army proudly announced its MQ-1C Gray Eagle had successfully employed a Hellfire missile in Iraq.

Of course, the Army’s Gray Eagle is essentially the same aircraft as the Air Force’s Predator, which has been armed for some time.

The article notes some of the differences between Air Force and Army operations:

The Air Force’s Predator drones are flown by officers who are usually located back in the USA and connected to the airframes by satellite link. But flying the Army’s Gray Eagle is an enlisted soldier’s affair, done in theater and close to the ground troops that the airframe serves.