US Navy receives first upgraded Fire Scout
Northrop Grumman has delivered the first MQ-8C upgraded Fire Scout UAV to the US Navy, the company announced on 19 July.
The upgraded VTOL UAV was received by the navy in preparation for upcoming ground and flight testing, which will be conducted at the Naval Air Systems Command test range. Prior to conducting its first flight, ground testing will be carried out to ensure that the UAV works correctly and communicates with the GCS.
‘The endurance upgrade doubles the time on station of the MQ-8 system and will help reduce the workload for the ship’s crew by cutting the number of times the crew will need to be in flight quarters,’ said George Vardoulakis, VP of medium tactical systems for Northrop Grumman, in a company statement.
The upgraded Fire Scout will have increased endurance and a 30% greater ranger than the previous design, according to the company. The new system uses a commercial Bell 407 airframe with modified controls to meet the US Navy requirement.
Under a rapid development effort the US Navy plans to procure 30 upgraded aircraft, and Northrop Grumman is currently under contract to produce 14. The first deployment of the system is scheduled for 2014.
The MQ-8C is an upgraded version of the MQ-8B which is currently being used by the US Navy, which operates on navy frigates and is operational in Afghanistan.
This milestone for the Fire Scout programme follows the news that the MQ-8B was integrated with BAE Systems’ Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) in September 2012, although it is unclear at present whether the MQ-8C Fire Scout will also be integrated with the weapon.
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)
Cummings Aerospace has revealed its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
-
SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
-
SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
-
SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
-
Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
-
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.