Fort Wainwright to get 9 Gray Eagle drones

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Fort Wainwright will be getting nine Gray Eagle combat drones and an additional 128 soldiers.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports Alaska's congressional delegation announced Tuesday that the new additions will start arriving in July.

The Gray Eagle is an improved version of General Atomics' Predator drone. The 28-foot-long aircraft flies at 29,000 feet at a cruising speed of 155 mph. The drone can fly for 25 hours at a time and can carry four missiles.

The drones will use existing hangars when they arrive, but the Army plans to request funding for additional facilities for the unmanned aircraft.

The announcement is the latest in a string of military expansions in Alaska's Interior that have come despite budget cuts in other parts of the military.

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