MQ-8C Fire Scout Concludes Operational Assessment
01 Décembre 2015 - 8:30PM
The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) completed
a successful land-based operational assessment (OA) with the
unmanned, autonomous helicopter MQ-8C Fire Scout, at Naval Base
Ventura County, Point Mugu, Nov. 20. The OA demonstrated the
endurance and sensor integration capabilities on the new MQ-8C
airframe.
Photos accompanying this release are available at:
http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=37915
The Fire Scout collected real time data points during OA flights
to validate system performance parameters and assess risk to future
operational testing. The Navy's Air Test and Evaluation Squadron
VX-1 performed all of the flights over three weeks culminating in
83.4 hours of flight and 72 data points.
"MQ-8C represents a significant capability improvement to the
Fleet," said Capt. Jeff Dodge, program manager, Fire Scout, Naval
Air Systems Command. "Testing has shown the system is meeting or
exceeding our goals and the completion of this test event
represents a major step on the road to Fleet introduction."
Northrop Grumman engineers' hard work in developing the MQ-8C
ensured that all aircraft systems successfully met VX-1 flight
requirements. MQ-8C sensors and systems were vigorously tested at
different altitudes and ranges to validate operational
effectiveness. Successful integration of an improved ice detector
system was also validated during OA with an alert to the test team
of icing during a flight. This system allowed for necessary
altitude corrections by descending the helicopter until the
indication cleared so that the mission could resume its target
detection runs.
"The completion of land-based OA is once again validation of the
incredible performance the Fire Scout system is capable of," said
Leslie Smith, Fire Scout program director, Northrop Grumman. "As
demonstrated in the test, Fire Scout's multi-INT capability and
endurance, coupled with outstanding reliability are changing the
way intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems are
measured; we have significantly raised the bar."
MQ-8C Fire Scout completed the developmental flight tests
program earlier this year and now the program will prepare for
milestone "C" next year. The MQ-8C Fire Scout has accumulated over
730 flight hours and flown 353 sorties.
For more information on the MQ-8C Fire Scout, visit:
http://bit.ly/16K1F4m
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing
innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems,
cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and
commercial customers worldwide. Please visit
www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
CONTACT: T. J. Ortega
858-618-7648 (office)
858-204-6241 (mobile)
timothy.ortega@ngc.com
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