Second Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout VTOL UAV takes flight

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Naval Defense Industry News - USA
 
 
 
Second Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout VTOL UAV takes flight
 
The second MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter conducts its first test flight Feb. 12 from Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, Calif. The first aircraft completed its initial flight in October 2013 and has flown 66 hours to date. The MQ-8C air vehicle upgrade will provide longer endurance, range and greater payload capability than the MQ-8B, which is currently deployed aboard USS Elrod (FFG 55) in the Mediterranean.
     
The second MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter conducts its first test flight Feb. 12 from Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, Calif.  The first aircraft completed its initial flight in October 2013 and has flown 66 hours to date. The MQ-8C air vehicle upgrade will provide longer endurance, range and greater payload capability than the MQ-8B, which is currently deployed aboard USS Elrod (FFG 55) in the Mediterranean.
The second MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter takes flight
NAVAIR photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman
     
The Northrop Grumman-built MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter completed its first flight Oct. 31 from Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, Calif. The flight validated the autonomous control systems of the aircraft. The MQ-8C provides the U.S Navy with increased endurance, range, and payload capacity.

The MQ-8C Fire Scout is the Navy's newest unmanned helicopter that can fly twice as long and carry three times more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance payloads than the existing variant.