The Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout (known as the Fire-X during development) is an unmanned helicopter developed by Northrop Grumman for use by the United States Navy. The MQ-8C also has autonomous take-off and landing capabilities. It is designed to provide reconnaissance, situational awareness, aerial fire support, and precision targeting support for ground, air, and sea forces. The MQ-8C airframe is based on the Bell 407, while the avionics and other systems are developed from those used on the MQ-8B Fire Scout. It first flew in October 2013 and achieved initial operational capability on January 28, 2019.
Sailors attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, assigned to the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Jackson (LCS 6), and Naval Air Engineering Technological Detachment (NET) technicians performed ground turns on an MQ-8C Fire Scout on the flight deck of Jackson. The Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Andre Lanholf.
Northrop Grumman flew the MQ-8C demonstrator installed with their AN/ZPY-1 STARLite radar, although there was no requirement for an MQ-8C radar at the time. The Navy began seeking information for a radar for the MQ-8C in July 2014 with surface search, synthetic aperture radar, inverse SAR, and weather mode capabilities. Although the AN/ZPY-4 has been installed on some B-model Fire Scouts, the larger C-model can accommodate a larger and more powerful radar. The Fire Scout program offered investigation whether to equip the airframe itself to perform more missions or focus on manned-unmanned teaming with larger MH-60S/R Seahawk helicopters.
The MQ-8C was declared mission capable on January 28, 2019. In tandem with a change in focus for the LCS involving increasing the ship’s lethality, the MQ-8C’s role was changed to focus on providing target acquisition and surveillance data. While the helicopter could carry 7-tube APKWS guided rocket pods, the LCS only has one weapon station capable of storing all the ship’s weapons and didn’t provide much space for loading weapons onboard the aircraft. Instead of being armed with rockets, the MQ-8C will use its long endurance and radar to provide the LCS with enhanced over-the-horizon targeting capabilities.
Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class Raymond Owens, from Killen, Texas, attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, assigned to the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Jackson (LCS 6), performs grounds turns on an MQ-8C Fire Scout on the flight deck of Jackson.
