U.S. Navy’s Fire Scout Unmanned Helicopter Is Now Operational
By Rich Abott | July 8, 2019
The U.S. Navy declared initial operational capability (IOC) for the MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter on June 28, the service said on Monday.
The Fire Scout is built by Northrop Grumman using the Bell 407 airframe and is built at Bell's Mirabel, Quebec, plant with final assembly and kitting conducted in the U.S. The MQ-8C is a larger and longer-endurance variant of the MQ-8B vehicle that can operate up to 12 hours on station depending on payload.
The Navy intends to deploy the MQ-8C with Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) for reconnaissance, situational awareness, and precision targeting support. Fire Scout will complement the Sikorsky MH-60 manned helicopter by extending the range and endurance of ship-based operations.
https://www.rotorandwing.com/2019/07/08/u-s-navys-fire-scout-unmanned-helicopter-now-operational/
