Friday, June 04, 2010

NAVAIR developing infrastructure for FireScout.


NAVAIR press release.
In the future, FRC East will repair approximately 60 of the Fire Scout’s components. Artisans are receiving hands-on training by working with the FST and Northrup Grumman engineers.
The Navy will field 121 Fire Scouts, once the platform is fully deployed. The inventory currently stands at seven – one trainer, two at Northrup Grumman for developmental testing, and four the Navy flies during operational evaluations.
The two MQ-8B’s at FRC East should be back in the Fleet about mid-June.
I wonder if this is a done deal.  I had thought that the other UAV helicopter types might have a chance to bump the FireScout out of Navy service.  This article indicates that is not the case.