Navy puts new Fire Scout model on fast development track
- By Defense Systems Staff
- Apr 26, 2012
The Navy has awarded a $262 million contract to Northrop Grumman to develop the first batch of the new MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopters designed to have greater range and other improvements beyond the existing MQ-8B model, the company said April 24.
The Navy ultimately plans to purchase as many as 28 of the MQ-8C unmanned helicopters through a rapid development effort, the company said.
Meanwhile, the Navy’s MQ-8B fleet remains grounded while the Navy investigates the cause of two crashes of the MQ-8B that took place in recent months, one of which occurred in northern Afghanistan in support of Marine Corps operations and another that occurred while performing operations for the guided-missile frigate USS Simpson, according to Navy officials.