July 25, 2022
Submarine Hunter: How the Fire Scout Drone Has the Navy Covered
Various emerging laser and radar technologies will be used by the drone to detect and destroy enemy subs, ships, and mines.
by Kris Osborn
The U.S. Navy is expanding the operational scope of its helicopter-like, vertical-take-off-and-landing Fire Scout drone as part of an effort to increase its impact in major maritime warfare. In addition to extending the Fire Scout’s traditional role with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and video surveillance, the Navy is also developing the drone for submarine-hunting and beyond-the-horizon networking. Various emerging laser and radar technologies will be used by the drone to detect and destroy enemy subs, ships, and mines.
When an enemy submarine surfaces for just a few minutes, there is a short time window with which to engage and destroy the boat before it quickly disappears. Should a Fire Scout drone be in a position to use its long-range, high-fidelity sensors, it might be able to quickly cue armed aircraft, ship commanders, or other decision-makers to authorize the use of force for a quick Navy strike and destroy the submarine. The use of long-range, high-speed ISR can greatly shorten the “sensor-to-shooter” timeline and help place the Navy in an advantageous position vis-a-vis its adversaries.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/submarine-hunter-how-fire-scout-drone-has-navy-covered-203771
