Upgraded Fire Scout Prepares for First Test Flight

Upgraded Fire Scout Prepares for First Test Flight

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MQ-8C Fire Scout. Photo: Northrop Grumman
MQ-8C Fire Scout. Photo: Northrop Grumman

The U.S. Navy is preparing for the first test flight later this month of its upgraded MQ-8C Fire Scout Unmanned Aircraft System, a helicopter-like, vertical-take-off-and-landing maritime drone engineered to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, service officials said.

According to Defense Tech the MQ-8C Fire Scout, slated to fly out of Point Mugu, Naval Base Ventura County, Calif., is an upgraded version of the existing MQ-8B Fire Scout which has been in production since 2009. The MQ-8B Fire Scout is now on its seventh deployment and is currently aboard the USS Simpson, a Navy guided missile Frigate.

MQ-8B Fire Scout. Photo: Northrop Grumman
MQ-8B Fire Scout. Photo: Northrop Grumman

With the MQ-8C, we took a commercial Bell 407 helicopter and modified it to include additional fuel capability to provide increased range and endurance – and then integrated the majority of the MQ-8B avionics and payloads onto that air frame. This method allows us to maintain all of the infrastructure we have already invested in,” Capt. Patrick Smith, program manager, multi-mission tactical unmanned air systems, NAVAIR, told Military.com in an interview.

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The upcoming test flight is intended to build upon the work designed to check the aircraft’s engine, electrical signals and control systems prior to flight, Smith explained.

Overall, 30 Fire Scout MQ-8Bs have been acquired and the unmanned helicopter has deployed to the Mediterranean, Africa, Afghanistan and other key locations throughout the globe.

Commanders have issued a request for the rapid deployment 28 MQ-8C Fire Scout aircraft, Smith said.

The existing MQ-8B Fire Scout can travel 110 nautical miles and remain on station for at least 3 hours, Smith said.

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