MIKE MARTIN
Northrop Grumman is showing off its RQ-8A Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at Farnborough – the first time at any show.
The company believes the system may be of interest to the Royal Navy and other European navies, and is particularly targeting the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) Watchkeeper programme, for which it is a candidate.
The UAV on show at the Northrop Grumman static display is the P0 vehicle used for structural testing during the programme. The P3 vehicle is the flying demonstrator while the P2 model is a manned version used for testing avionics and datalinks.
The P3 flight testing programme enters a new phase within a few days, when the intention is to fly the aircraft to its highest speed yet.
"It will have a modular mission payload and the plan is to fly it up to 100kt (185km/h), which is the fastest it will have been," Mike Roberts, Northrop Grumman ground control station shelter integration lead, Fire Scout Programme, said yesterday. "The fastest the vehicle has been so far is 80kt."
The static park display includes the ground control station (GCS), where the Northrop Grumman team will demonstrate simulated missions. Says Roberts: "Fire Scout is a candidate for the UK Watchkeeper programme and we hope to show those people around if they come by."
Source: Flight Daily News
