Fire Scout UAV Prepares for LCS

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and Northrop Grumman’s Tactical Autonomous Systems business unit are preparing for a second phase of dynamic interface testing for the MQ-8C Fire Scout vertical takeoff unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV), to be conducted on board the littoral combat ship USS Little Rock (LCS-9) early next year. The “Charlie” is on track to complete initial operational test and evaluation in late 2018.

Leslie Smith, vice president for tactical autonomous systems at Northrop Grumman, says the testing is designed specifically for the LCS, to operate with the vehicle’s wind envelope and provide accurate performance specifications.

NAVAIR Fire Scout program manager Captain Jeff Dodge, U.S. Navy, said, “MQ-8C is meeting all of its performance objectives. We are looking forward to the MQ-8C operational testing and deployment as a part of surface warfare mission packages.”

The USS Coronado (LCS-4) currently is operating two MQ-8Bs with an MH-60 helicopter to test the unmanned/manned pairing to provide situational awareness.

A single Fire Scout Bravo deployed on board the Fort Worth (LCS-3) to the western Pacific in 2015. In December 2014, a Bravo launched from the Coast Guard cutter Bertholf (WMSL-750) in a demonstration arranged by the U.S. Coast Guard and NAVAIR.

Northrop Grumman’s Smith said that the early Fire Scout “A” variant quickly evolved into the “B.” Northrop Grumman built the first MQ-8B airframes in 2006, and the vehicle first flew at Patuxent River, Maryland, late that year. The company and NAVAIR worked as partners to develop the “C” in the 2012 timeframe. “We recognized that the system would provide critical ISR—and that we could innovate and use a larger airframe that gave us more endurance, more range, and more payload,” she added.

For the ISR mission, the Bravos are fitted with an electro-optical/infrared sensor, laser rangefinder/illuminator, and maritime radar. The Navy plans to field both Bravos and Charlies on board the LCSs. Smith says the company has delivered 23 “Bs” and 19 “Cs” and is on contract to build 11 more “Cs” over the next two years. The Charlies now are equipped with an EO/IR sensor, but will be getting a high-frequency active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar—designated “Osprey”—built by Leonardo. The company says the Osprey radar is capable of a 240-degree instantaneous field of view and will provide weather surveillance, air-to-air targeting, and a ground moving target indicator. The AESA, Smith says, will extend situational awareness for ships operating the Charlies from tens of miles to hundreds of miles.

NAVAIR has evaluated the feasibility of arming the Fire Scout, possibly with a lightweight compact weapon for use against submarines. Northrop Grumman is working to integrate the AESA radar with the MQ-8C, which is expected to start joining the fleet as the radar reaches its initial operational capability in 2020.

Mr. Walsh is a veteran reporter of Navy and Marine Corps news and former editor of Naval Systems Update.

This article appeared originally at U.S. Naval Institute's Proceedings Magazine.