Starting a fire

Will Northrop Grumman’s larger, longer-range Fire Scout unmanned helicopter attract RAN interest?

The brief maiden flight of the first production variant of Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8C Fire Scout, from Point Mugu in California on October 31, heralds a new era for the unmanned helicopter.

With its two-hour endurance and ability to lift up to 1,180kg of payload, the MQ-8C utilises many of the mission systems, sensors and UAS-specific systems of the smaller A and B model Fire Scouts and adapts them to a new airframe based on the proven Bell 407 civil helicopter.