Mary-Louise Hoffman
Northrop Grumman has handed over the U.S. Navy‘s first MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaisance missions.
The MQ-8C is designed to have a larger airframe and fly with three times more ISR payload than its predecessor variant MQ-8B, Northrop said Wednesday.
“The test program will run through the summer as we expect these aircraft to be ready for operations by year’s end,” said George Vardoulakis, Northrop vice president of medium range tactical systems.
The Navy plans to conduct flight tests from the USS Jason Dunham this winter before it evaluates aircraft systems for operational use.
Northrop is contracted to produce 19 MQ-8Cs for the service.
