We continue the topic of attack drones. Having considered the European and Middle Eastern models ( part I ), let's move on to the products of American developers.
US Attack drones
GA-ASI Gray Eagle STOL/Mojave
The Gray Eagle STOL attack drone (also known by the demo name Mojave) is a product of the American company General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). The device is an improved version of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle model (medium–altitude and long-duration flight - MALE class), optimized for short take-off and landing (STOL) and designed for operation in harsh conditions. Compared to its predecessors, the Mojave has a more durable landing gear, as well as updated wings and elevators, which allows it to take off from aircraft carriers, runways, unpaved or grass airfields and beaches.
The Gray Eagle STOL attack drone can carry 16 Hellfire missiles.
With a maximum take-off weight of 3,175 kg, the Gray Eagle STOL has a high payload capacity and is equipped with seven suspension units capable of handling a total of 1,540 kg of payload. For example, the drone is capable of carrying 16 Hellfire missiles (AGM-114 Hellfire, eight on each wing).
Dillon Aero DAP-6 Machine gun unit
Other missiles can be used instead, including the AGM-179 single air-to-ground missile (JAGM). In 2024, during a test flight, Mojave, equipped with two Dillon Aero DAP-6 machine gun units, each equipped with a six-barreled M134D-H machine gun, demonstrated the ability to fire from low-level flight.
The Gray Eagle STOL UAV is equipped with a 450 hp Rolls Royce M250 engine, which allows it to reach a maximum speed of 260 km/h. The maximum flight duration is more than 25 hours, although it depends on the mass of the payload: in exploration mode, it can reach 27 hours, and when armed with 12 Hellfire missiles, it is reduced to 10 hours.
Depending on the configuration, the take-off length also varies: for the reconnaissance configuration it will be 122 m, and when armed with 12 Hellfire missiles it will increase to 304 m. It is believed that the UAV is still in the final stages of development and testing. In November 2024, GA-ASI announced that the UAV had successfully taken off from the South Korean universal amphibious assault ship ROKS Dokdo and landed at the ground base.
Marine Attack Drone Jump 20-X
The Jump 20-X UAV manufactured by Aerovironment is designed for marine and expeditionary operations, but its vertical takeoff and landing configuration allows it to be used on ships with limited deck area. As explained in Aerovironment, the letter "X" in the name means "dominance in different environments" and indicates that the improved device can operate over both land and sea. A drone equipped with automation software with artificial intelligence (AI) support can perform most of its tasks without the participation of a crew.
Jump 20-X Attack Drone
The compact UAV (length – 2.9 m, wingspan – 5.7 m) has a maximum take-off weight of 97.5 kg and a payload capacity of 13.6 kg. In addition to sensors and communication systems, small precision-guided munitions can be installed on the drone, including the Northrop Grumman Hatchet and Corvid Technologies/L3Harris Shryke.
Four two-bladed propellers with vertical lift provide the possibility of vertical takeoff and landing, and the pulling screw in the nose ensures vertical flight. The two-stroke engine mounted in the nose can run on various brands of fuel (JP-5, JP-8, Jet-A and MoGas), which increases operational flexibility, especially in expeditionary conditions. The engine reaches speeds of up to 93 km/h and provides autonomy for up to 13 hours. The maximum range of radio communication is 185 km.
The 20-X variant is a naval modification of the original Jump 20 UAV, which is already in use by the US and Danish Armed Forces . Aerovironment presented the 20-X at IDEX 2025. According to the developer, the drone is in the final stages of testing, and sales will begin "in the next few months."
The Mayman Razor drone
California-based Mayman Aerospace is developing a family of Razor (Razor) high-speed vertical takeoff and landing UAVs. Having a modular configuration, the model is suitable for conducting reconnaissance, electronic warfare, targeting, logistics, and even strikes. According to Mayman representatives, this family of drones will be equipped with AI-enabled software for navigation and control.
The experimental Razor P100 UAV
The company plans to introduce Razor in three size classes: P100 (payload 45 kg), then P500 (payload 227 kg) and P1000 (payload 450 kg). The two larger variants will be equipped with Hellfire or Brimstone guided missiles, as well as air-to-air missiles.
Each vehicle is equipped with four jet engines located at the corners of the aircraft. The engine nacelles can be installed vertically for take-off, landing and hovering, and horizontally for high–speed horizontal flight. According to the manufacturer, the engines can run on any heavy fuel. The technical specifications of the Razor family include speeds of up to 800 km/h and a ceiling height of about 6,100 m. The smallest version will be able to take off from a 3×3 m pad.
The management of the development company notes that the UAVs are "economical, easy to manufacture, relatively inexpensive and can be used in sufficient quantities to meet the requirements of future combat operations. Airfields will be one of the first victims of modern wars, so vertical takeoff and landing vehicles will be crucial to the success of future conflicts."
Conceptual image of attack drones Razor VTOL, performing a combat mission.
In September 2024, the company announced the completion of flight tests of a test UAV that used the same propulsion, engine stabilization, thrust vector control, and flight control systems as the P100. The press release says that production and sales of the P100 will start in 2025.
The concept of a hypersonic attack UAV
According to Western experts, technological development generates higher and higher expectations. In February 2025, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the US Department of Defense published a wide-ranging announcement of interest in next Generation air strike platforms (Next Generation Responsive Strike, Next RS). The agency's Office of Aerospace Projects (APO) is "working in close partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and [NASA]" to advance this project, which aims to develop a low-profile, highly maneuverable hypersonic bomber capable of delivering fast strikes.
The government hopes to complete the development of the project by the end of the 2020s and begin flight tests of the prototype in the early 2030s. The statement does not specify which type of aircraft would be preferable — manned or unmanned. However, many aspects of such a project, including the potential mass and aerodynamic advantages of the UAV, the potential physical impact of hypersonic combat maneuvering on the crew, and the expected high risk of strikes deep in the territory, speak in favor of an unmanned design. Regardless of whether they will be launched as part of Next RS or not, reusable hypersonic attack UAVs are likely to appear in the near future.
Source: euro-sd.com
