The Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout is a multipurpose Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) – helicopter, developed by Northrop Grumman for use by the United States Armed Forces. The first flight of the MQ-8B version took place on 18 December 2006 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.[1][2][4][5]
A US Navy MQ-8B with the BRITE Star II payload. [3] 1
The MQ-8B was based on the Schweizer 333 helicopter. This UAV has a four-blade main rotor. MQ-8B is fitted with stub wings which serve both an aerodynamic purpose as well as an armament carriage location.[2]
The MQ-8B is being modified to permit rapid swap out of payload configurations. The current sensor configuration of a day/night turret with a laser target designator will remain an option. Weapons to be carried include Hellfire missiles, Viper Strike laser-guided glide weapons, and in particular pods carrying the “Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS)”, a laser-guided 70 millimeter folding-fin rocket.[2]
| Specifications of MQ-8B [1][2] | ||
| Payload | 272 kg | |
| Length | 7.3 m | |
| Rotor diameter | 8.4 m | |
| Height | 2.9 m | |
| Empty weight | 940.3 kg | |
| Maximal takeoff weight | 1,430 kg | |
| Powerplant | 1 x Rolls-Royce 250, 313 kW | |
| Maximum speed | 213 km/h | |
| Cruise speed | 200 km/h | |
| Combat radius | 203.7 km | |
| Endurance | 8 hours | |
| Service ceiling | 6,100 m |
The MQ-8 Fire Scout is designed to provide reconnaissance, precision targeting and fire support for missions of ground, air and sea forces.[2]
References:
1. MQ–8 Fire Scout (MQ-8B/MQ-8C) | Info, RQ-8A, Budget/Costs, Specs. – Mode of access: http://www.bga-aeroweb.com/Defense/MQ-8-Fire-Scout.html.
2. Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout. – Mode of access: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Scout.
3. File:FIRESCOUT-VUAS.jpg. – Mode of access: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FIRESCOUT-VUAS.jpg.
4. MQ-8B Fire Scout | NAVAIR – U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command – Navy and Marine Corps Aviation Research, Development, Acquisition, Test and Evaluation. – Mode of access: http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.display&key=8250AFBA-DF2B-4999-9EF3-0B0E46144D03.
5. Fire Scout. – Mode of access: http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/FireScout/Pages/default.aspx.
6. Photo Release — Northrop Grumman’s Fire Scout UAV Finishes Two-day Demonstration During 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Home of U.S. Army Aviation (NYSE:NOC). – Mode of access: http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=88891.
7. Northrop Grumman. – Mode of access: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman.
8. Northrop Grumman Corporation. – Mode of access: http://www.northropgrumman.com.
9. Northrop MQ-8 Fire Scout UAV in UAE. – Mode of access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0bib2SYzqY.
10. MQ-8 Fire Scout UAV On USS McInerney. – Mode of access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLEL3QMgQAs.
11. MQ-8B Fire Scout Drone Helicopter. – Mode of access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lApxLY969HA.
12. Fire Scout Afghanistan. – Mode of access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h46b37E8wCo.
13. Fire Scout MQ-8 UAV Naval Air Systems Command Overview. – Mode of access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2xcsQz3w0c.
14. Sikorsky S-333. – Mode of access: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schweizer_333.
15. Yanushevsky R. Guidance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles / Rafael Yanushevsky. – Boca Raton; London; New York : CRC Press, 2011. – 353 p.
1 Author released this work into the public domain.