US Navy unmanned helicopter MQ-8C completes Expeditionary Advance Base Operations exercise

News, US August 20, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. Navy’s MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned, runway-independent helicopter system successfully completed Expeditionary Advance Base Operations (EABO) concept exercise.

During the exercise, the Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8C Fire Scout simulated a ship-based departure and was successfully launched from the Vertical Take-Off and Landing Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle Maintenance Detachment at Naval Base Ventura County in Point Mugu, California.

The MQ-8C demonstrated its capabilities to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (ISR&T) during the EABO operations.

According to the U.S. Navy Captain Dennis Monagle, “Fire Scout is the Navy’s only unmanned helicopter with the ability to deploy from a ship or land with ISR&T at the extended range required for future warfighting. The system is vital in expeditionary use for situational awareness and critical decision-making.”

“The Navy conducted a control system hand-off of the MQ-8C Fire Scout from Point Mugu to San Clemente Island, California, demonstrating the ship-to-shore transition capability of the platform in a maritime expeditionary environment,” the Northrop Grumman’s statement highlighted.

U.S. Navy's MQ-8C Fire Scout lands at San Clemente Island from Point Mugu during exercise Resolute Hunter demonstrating its Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations capability — ^{U.S. Navy’s MQ-8C Fire Scout lands at San Clemente Island from Point Mugu during exercise Resolute Hunter demonstrating its Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations capability. (Image Credit: U.S. Navy)}

“With the Navy’s Portable Mission Control Station (MCS-P), the system was recovered and redeployed rapidly for operational flexibility. The portable MCS-P ground control station helps MQ-8C Fire Scout basing in austere locations on land, helipad operations in an advanced forward location, and logistics support from ship flight decks. With identical ship-based hardware, screen configuration, and software, operations remain consistent across all ship classes,” the statement added.

Director of the Fire Scout program at Northrop Grumman Lance Eischeid stated that “We are supporting MQ-8C deployments on littoral combat ships while assisting the Navy with Fire Scout mission expansion efforts to include operations from other surface ships and shore-based sites. This EABO demonstration further proves the flexible utility of Fire Scout for expeditionary use from land and across multiple ship classes.”

U.S. Navy’s next-generation autonomous helicopter system provides responsive, reliable, and real-time surveillance capabilities and operates from both air-capable ships and developed or austere landing zones. It can also operate at extended ranges required for future warfighting activities.

*^{The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully flew the MQ-8C Fire Scout system. (Image Credit: Northrop Grumman/U.S. Navy)}*

MQ-8C Fire Scout had been deployed on littoral combat ships and is expected to be deployed on Constellation-class guided-missile frigates in the future. According to Northrop Grumman, the potential future roles for the MQ-8C include mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare.