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The Navy Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle System (VTUAV) system provides unprecedented situation awareness, precision targeting support for the U.S. Navy of the future. It has the ability to autonomously take off and land from any aviation-capable warship and at unprepared landing zones.
The system includes advanced Ground Control Stations that encompass the U.S. Navy’s Tactical Control System (TCS), Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL), and Robust Communications. A modular mission payload capability allows continued growth into new payloads, and a highly reliable air vehicle meets or exceeds all performance criteria.
With a total endurance of 7+ hours, the Fire Scout can provide more than 5 hours time on station with a standard payload at 110 nm (200 km) from the launch site. A system of two Fire Scouts can provide continuous coverage at 110 nm. Utilizing a baseline payload that includes electro-optical/infrared sensors and a laser rangefinder / designator, the Fire Scout can find and identify tactical targets, track and designate targets, accurately provide targeting data to strike platforms, employ precision weapons, and perform battle damage assessment.
Acting as a communications node with its 3 ARC-210 radios within the proposed Network- Centric Warfare Battlespace, the Fire Scout will increase the effectiveness and flexibility of the C4I Architecture. The program is managed by the U.S. Navy’s PMA-263 Unmanned Vehicles Program Office (Program Executive Office, Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation) at Patuxent River, Maryland. |
