Navy Tests New Fire Scout Drone Variant

Join the Navy and see the world – or so that is the dream that many aspire to. I am quite sure that one would also be able to find a fair number of high tech weaponry, with many classified ones, when one gets to the higher ups in the Navy. Well, we are pleased to bring you word that Navy is preparing to kick off operational testing of its new MQ-8C Fire Scout UAS. What makes the MQ-8C Fire Scout UAS so special? It happens to be a vertical take-off-and landing drone that has been specially engineered for maritime missions, and it will have a timetable of 2018 to be deployed aboard the services’ Littoral Combat Ship.

The MQ-8C will be a larger, upgraded version of the current MQ-8B Fire Scout, which too, is a vertical take-off and landing unmanned system that has been deployed to the Pacific theater aboard the USS Fort Worth. The upgraded MQ-8C went on its maiden test flight in Fall 2013, and there has already been 17 of such new drones on order.

Expect the MQ-8C Fire Scout UAS to deliver a longer frame of endurance, range and greater payload capability, where it is capable of remaining on a mission for up to 10 hours, boasting a range of 150 nautical miles and a rather fearsome payload capacity of over 700 pounds.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Military
Tags: navy