Northrop Grumman Readies MQ-8C Fire Scout for Flight Operations

: Posted On Tuesday, 24 September 2013 10:16

Naval Defense Industry News - USA

Northrop Grumman Readies MQ-8C Fire Scout VTOL UAV for Flight Operations

Northrop Grumman Corporation turned on the power to the U.S. Navy's first MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter and rotated the aircraft's four blades for the first time during initial ground testing and engine runs at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, Calif., Sept. 20.

Northrop Grumman test engineers conduct the first engine runs of the MQ-8C Fire Scout at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, Calif., on Sept. 20 to prepare the system for flight operations. A Northrop Grumman and U.S. Navy test team is collecting data to ensure that all the aircraft's systems are functioning and communicating properly prior to its first flight. (Photo by Chad Slattery)

Conducting initial engine runs of the aircraft allows engineers to collect data to ensure that all the aircraft's systems are functioning and communicating properly prior to its first flight.

"Completion of these tests signifies our steady progress toward the first flight of the MQ-8C Fire Scout," said George Vardoulakis, vice president of medium range tactical systems at Northrop Grumman. "We continue to work closely with our Navy customer, ensuring that the Fire Scout system is checked out and ready before operational use."

The U.S. Navy got its first look at the upgraded MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned system when Northrop Grumman Corporation delivered its first MQ-8C system this month. Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the MQ-8 Fire Scout program of record. The company delivered the first MQ-8C aircraft to the Navy in early July in preparation for ground and flight testing.

The Fire Scout endurance upgrade, designated the MQ-8C and based on Bell Helicopter's 407, will provide ship commanders with increased range, endurance and payload capacity over the current MQ-8B variant.
(Picture: Northrop Grumman)

This latest aircraft upgrade to the Fire Scout system provides the Navy with more than twice the endurance and three times the payload carrying capacity, enabling an unprecedented level of persistent surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance capability.

Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the Fire Scout program and is currently under contract to produce MQ-8C aircraft for deployment beginning in 2014.