The Fire Scout MQ-8C. Photo by Northrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman [NOC] has delivered the first operational MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter to the Navy and the first ship-based flight tests are scheduled to begin this winter, the contractor said Wednesday.
The MQ-8C is an upgraded version of the smaller MQ-8B Fire Scout already deployed with the Navy for conducting intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) missions. The larger version triples the payload and doubles the flight time.
The first flight test on a ship will take place on the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, as part of an assessment for operational use.
The Navy has contracted Northrop Grumman to build 19 MQ-8Cs with more planned.