| | First Flight Gallery: Northrop Grumman MQ-8B |
| Northrop Grumman completes first flight of enhanced four-blade MQ-8B Fire Scout
VTUAVSAN DIEGO, Dec. 20, 2006 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and the
U.S. Navy have successfully completed the first series of flights of the
enhanced, more capable version of the Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing
tactical unmanned air vehicle (VTUAV), the MQ-8B.
"This is a very significant milestone in the execution of the system
development and demonstration program, which is under contract for nine
unmanned helicopters," said Captain Paul Morgan, the Navy's UAS program
manager. "These flights were completed on schedule, which shows the commitment
of the Navy and Northrop Grumman to work diligently to get this important
warfighting capability to the fleet as soon as possible."
The MQ-8B Fire Scout offers a significant capability increase over the first
generation RQ-8A Fire Scout. The addition of a fourth rotor blade, and other
enhancements, give the MQ-8B greater payload carrying capacity -- up to 600
pounds for future sensors, equipment pods, and possible weapons.
The Fire Scout's endurance has also been increased to more than eight hours.
The MQ-8B has a greater fuel capacity than the RQ-8A and, with a standard
payload, can stay on station for six hours at 110 miles from launch site.
The current phase of flight testing is taking place at Webster Field at Naval
Air Station Patuxent River, Md. During this test series, the vehicle executed
its missions fully autonomously. Vehicle operators monitored mission
performance and provided updated commands while the air vehicle flew the
preprogrammed mission plan. Full autonomy for the MQ-8B's first flight was
accomplished through robust software/hardware integration testing in the VTUAV
System Center at Northrop Grumman's Unmanned Systems Development Center in San
Diego, Calif.
"First engine run and rotor turn were completed a few weeks before first
flight," said Gene Fraser, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Unmanned
Systems business unit. "We are very pleased with the progress of the MQ-8B
system design and development phase of the overall program. The next two years
of planned activity on this program include the Navy's okay to enter low-rate
initial production, operational evaluation on a Littoral Combat Ship and
operational capability in 2008."
First flight occurred less than two months after the air frame was delivered
from the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems production facility in Moss Point,
Miss., where the MQ-8B Fire Scouts are assembled.
"This has been a very busy year for the Fire Scout team," added Doug
Fronius, Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout VTUAV program manager. "We
successfully completed the first autonomous, unmanned vertical takeoff and
landing from a Navy ship in January with the RQ-8A Fire Scout. We then helped
to stand up the Moss Point facility in April. Despite the devastation from
Hurricane Katrina, that facility opened on schedule, bringing more high
technology jobs to the area. From there, the team remained motivated and
dedicated to making the first flight of the MQ-8B a success."
The Navy plans to use Fire Scout on board the Littoral Combat Ship, where
sailors will operate both manned and unmanned helicopters to support
operational requirements. These include real-time video imagery, intelligence
gathering, communications-relay capability, precision targeting and battle
damage assessment.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology
company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and
solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding
to government and commercial customers worldwide.
|
|
|
|
