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MQ-8B Fire Scout
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Fire Scout’s resupply capability demonstrated during US Army high-tech exercise. (Feb 15/10)

The USA’s RQ/MQ-8 Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle has had a colorful history. The program was begun with promise by the US Navy, canceled, adopted by the US Army, and finally revived by the Navy as well. The MQ-8B Fire Scout is linked with two major defense programs: the Future Combat Systems program and the USA’s Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). The Pentagon decided to cancel the FCS in 2009 and rolled parts of the program into the Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program. The troubled LCS, however, is moving ahead with the Jan 26/10 release of a request for proposal to build 10 LCS over the next 5 years. Meanwhile, the US Coast Guard is testing the Fire Scout for its National Security Cutter program.

Fire Scout-related awards to Northrop Grumman and Raytheon have been quite varied. DID lists them, along with budgetary figures from official DoD documents, and also explains the Fire Scout’s history and capabilities…

• MQ-8: The Platform
• MQ-8: The Program
• Fire Scout Program Budgets
• Fire Scout Contracts & Key Events, full history [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources

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