US Army cancels FTUAS and the MQ-1 Gray Eagle as part of the Army Transformation Initiative
The Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift requirements (Photo: Textron)
Last week, it was revealed that the US Army intended to cancel the long-running Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS). The revelation, no doubt part of the Army Transformation Initiative (ATI), came a week after the force highlighted that it would cancel the procurement of Gray Eagle aircraft.
FTUAS to be scrapped
Last week, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the US Senate Armed Services Committee’s ranking member, stated that the Army had announced its intent to cancel the Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) effort. The revelation came during a committee hearing to consider the nominations of Michael Obadal to be undersecretary of the Army.
The news of the planned ending of the FTUAS effort came one week after, on 1 May 2025, the US Army announced the Army Transformation Initiative (ATI). This strategy will, among other things, re-examine all requirements and eliminate waste and obsolete procurement programmes, with the Letter to the Force: Army
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