General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has announced that the U.S. Army has completed its New Equipment Training (NET) for GA-ASI’s MQ-1C ER Gray Eagle Extended Range UAS.

Covering new maintenance procedures, manuals and ground support equipment associated with the MQ-1C ER, the training—conducted at Fort Campbell, Kentucky—prepared the current Army Company, 160th Foxtrot, to operate the MQ-1C ER, while also preparing Echo Company to become the Army’s second Company to be trained to operate the UAS.

“Adding a second Company to operate the MQ-1C ER is a testament to the confidence the Army has in the performance of this UAS,” says David R. Alexander, president, GA-ASI.

“The MQ-1C ER provides significant enhancements in capability over the MQ-1C, delivering increased reliability, range and capacity for our Army customer over the previous version.”