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MQ-8 Fire Scout VTUAV Program: By Land or By Sea

Sep 29, 2016 00:48 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff

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September 29/16: A MQ-8B Fire Scout was used to laser designate a moving target for an AGM-114N Hellfire external link missile fired from an MH-60S for the first time . Conducted on September 14, the test was part of a program to use the drone as a remote designater for the helicopter to shoot moving targets . The successful Hellfire shot marks a significant milestone in the integration between Navy-manned helicopters and unmanned assets.

The above update is a recent abstract from our full article, itself part of our subscription offering. Keep reading to know more.

MQ-8B Fire Scout
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A helicopter UAV is very handy for naval ships, and for armies who can’t always depend on runways. The USA’s RQ/MQ-8 Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle has blazed a trail of firsts in this area, but its history is best described as “colorful.” The program was begun by the US Navy, canceled, adopted by the US Army, revived by the Navy, then canceled by the Army. Leaving it back in the hands of the US Navy. Though the Army is thinking about joining again, and the base platform is changing.

The question is, can the MQ-8 leverage its size, first-mover contract opportunity, and “good enough” performance into a secure future with the US Navy – and beyond? DID describes these new VTUAV platforms, clarifies the program’s structure and colorful history, lists all related contracts and events, and offers related research materials.