U.S. Army ‘Gray Eagle’ Combat Drone Crashes In Northern Iraq (Photos, Video)
On April 22, an MQ-1C Gray Eagle combat drone of the United States Army crashed in the northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk.
The Sabreen News channel on Telegram, which is close to Iranian-backed forces in Iraq, alleged that the MQ-1C was shot down with an anti-aircraft missile. However, the U.S.-led coalition said in a statement that the drone crashed in southern Kirkuk as a result of what it called a “mechanical failure”.
“The ISF [Iraqi security forces] quickly secured the crash site, while Coalition service members cleared the area with a controlled detonation. There were no injuries and no damage to civilian infrastructure,” the statement reads.
The coalition added that its drones provide “vital intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to the ISF, enabling Defeat-ISIS operations throughout the region.”
The MQ-1C is a deep upgrade of the MQ-1 Predator that was developed by General Atomics for reconnaissance and combat missions. The Extended Range version of the drone has an endurance of at least 27 hours and an operational range of over 4,600 kilometers with satellite communication.
The drone that crashed in southern Kirkuk was armed with AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided missiles. The MQ-1C can carry up to four missiles of this type.
Iranian-backed forces in Iraq threatened to shoot down U.S.-led coalition warplanes that approached their positions, and opened fire at drones as well as helicopters on a few occasions in the last few years. However, there were no known aerial losses.
The MQ-1C crash came amid high tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the Middle East. Last month, the coalition and forces backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps engaged in a deadly confrontation in Syria’s northeastern region, during which a suicide drone launched by Iraqi fighters hit an American base.
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