. Military Space News .
Fire Scout Closer To Operational Capability With Delivery Of Second Vehicle

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems sector delivered the second production unit of the U.S. Navy's RQ-8A Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical UAV to the Navy on April 14. Photo shows Navy Fire Scout Air Vehicle #2 ready for shipment.

San Diego - May 20, 2003
The U.S. Navy has moved one step closer to operational capability for its RQ-8A Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with the on-time delivery of the second production unit by its maker, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC).

The company's Integrated Systems sector delivered the air vehicle April 14 to the Navy's Webster Field UAV test facility, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

"Delivering the second Fire Scout production vehicle is an important and necessary step on the path to demonstrating the system's distinctive technical capabilities, such as landing aboard a ship," said Scott Winship, Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout program manager. "By consistently reaching major milestones on or ahead of schedule, we reinforce our commitment to this program and the combined Navy, Marine Corps and industry team that has worked so hard to make Fire Scout successful."

The Fire Scout production vehicles are integrated and tested at Integrated Systems' Unmanned Systems unit in San Diego. The second vehicle was rolled out April 4.

The Navy and Northrop Grumman began the Fire Scout's flawless flight test program in May 2002. To date, the development team has conducted 40 consecutive successful flight tests. The team is currently making preparations to begin land-based takeoff and recovery flight-testing with the UAV Common Automatic Recovery System and Tactical Control System in early summer. This testing is a precursor to shipboard testing later this summer on the USS Denver off the coast of San Diego.

Related Links
Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems Sector
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express

Northrop Grumman Given Approval To Design, Build X-47B Navy UCAV Demonstrators
El Segundo - May 07, 2003
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has issued Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems sector an undefinitized contract modification worth up to $160 million to produce and demonstrate a minimum of two full-scale X-47B unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV).







  • US Warned Not To Ignore Chinese Military Advances

  • Titan Wins $300 Million Defense Threat Reduction Agency Contract
  • Northrop Grumman's ICBM Program Achieves CMMI Level 3 For Systems Engineering
  • - United States Restarts Nuclear Weapons Pit Production
  • The Ultimate Weapon

  • Raytheon Developing Morphing Wing Structures for Cruise Missiles
  • Manpower Reductions Planned Throughout Space Command
  • Northrop Grumman To Design Radar For Multi-Sensor Command And Control Aircraft
  • Air-to-Air Missile Market to Generate $12 Billion in Sales Through 2012

  • Lockheed Martin To Study Big Target Rocket Concepts
  • Missiles In "Position" As India Mulls Further Action Against Pakistan
  • Abm Pullout: The Phonecall That Soured Putin's Year. Or Did It?
  • US Official Defends Plans for Missile Defense Despite Test Failure

  • Aurora Builds Low-speed Wind Tunnel
  • Yeager To Retire From Military Flying After October Airshow
  • Yeager To Retire From Military Flying After October Airshow
  • Boeing Signs Technology Development Agreement With JAI For Work On Sonic Cruiser

  • Fire Scout Closer To Operational Capability With Delivery Of Second Vehicle
  • Northrop Grumman Given Approval To Design, Build X-47B Navy UCAV Demonstrators
  • Arotech Battery Passes Milestone Testing with Dragon Eye Unmanned Drone
  • Boeing To Develop New X-45C UCAV For Air Force And Navy Demonstrations





  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement