mq-8b fire scout and fire-x overview and status update

MQ-8B Fire Scout and Fire-X

Overview and Status Update

June 2011

Mike FuquaDirector, Business Development

Tactical Unmanned Systems

Northrop Grumman Aerospace System

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited:

Approved for Public Release Northrop Grumman C/N UMS-2009-017, February 2009; Approved for Public Release, Office of Security Review 09-S-2433; July 15, 2009; Approved for Public

Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 10-731 Dated 11 May 2010; Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 10-374 Dated 25 March 2010; NGAS Case 10-0322; Approved

for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 09-255 Dated 11 March 2009; Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 11-008, 1 February 2011; Approved for Public

Release, Distribution Unlimited:, NAVAIR 08-760 Dated 15 August 2008; Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 10-0323 Dated

3/15/10; Approved for Public Release: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 10-0615 Dated 4/29/10; Approved for Public Release: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 11-

0091, 2/9/11;NAVAIR Approval 2/16/11; Approved for Public Release: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 10-0615 Dated 4/29/10; Approved for Public Release: Northrop Grumman

Aerospace Systems Case 11-0461, 4/5/11; NAVAIR Approval 4/7/11; Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 11-924, 16 June 2011

2

OQ-2

OQ-19/SD-1

RP-76

BQM-74

X-47A UCAS

Combat Dawn

RQ-8A Fire Scout

Compass Cope

BQM-34

Compass Arrow

FireboltAQM-34 SPA

M324

BQM-145A

RQ-4 ACTD/Block 10Global Hawk

MQ-5B Hunter

E-Hunter

RQ-5A Hunter

MQ-8B Fire ScoutX-47B UCAS

BQM-74F

RQ-4 Block 20/30/40 Global Hawk

BQM-74E

Euro Hawk

BAMS

2

Bat

Approved for Public Release: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 10-0680 Dated 5/13/10

MQ-8B Fire Scout

3

• U.S. Navy – key enabler for the littoral

combat ship mission

– Anti-submarine warfare

– Anti-surface warfare

– Mine warfare

• Will complement (not replace) and reduce

the burden on manned systems

• Extremely mature, reliable and maintainable

• Primary missions intelligence, surveillance,

reconnaissance and targeting

– Growth paths to communications relay and others

The Enabler: Persistent, Flexible and Lethal

USS McInerney FFG-8

USS Freedom LCS-1

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 10-374 Dated 25 March 2010; NGAS Case 10-0322

MQ-8B Fire Scout

• Only US Navy Funded Vertical UAS

Program of Record (POR)

• Ten years of development activity

• Spiral payload development enabled

by Modular Mission Payload

Architecture

• Demonstrated reliable continuous

shipboard operations

4

RQ-8A MQ-8B

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 11-265, 1 March 2011

Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout Program Description

• Mission: The Fire Scout System is designed to provide intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) to tactical users

• Platforms: The Fire Scout System is designed to operate from all air capable ships

• Description – A Fire Scout System consists of:

– 1-3 MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned rotary wing air vehicles

• Electro-optical/infra-red /laser pointer and range findermodular mission payloads

• Automatic Identification System

• Maritime Radar in 2012

– Ground Control Station (integrated in ship CIC) incorporating the tactical common data link (TCDL) and tactical control system (TCS)

• 1 Unmanned Common Automatic Recovery Systems

– 1 grid (NATO standard) for shipboard operations

• Employment: Fielded on the USS McInerney(FFG 8). Deployments will continue aboard the USS Halyburton (FFG 40) followed by the Littoral Combat Ships


MQ-8B Fire Scout Program Description

• Mission: Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and

Targeting data to Tactical users (ISR-T)

• Platforms: Designed to operate from all Air Capable Hosts

• Description - A Fire Scout System consists of:

– 1-3 VTUAV equipped with Brite Star II (EO/IR)

– Ground Control Station (integrated into ship)

incorporating the Tactical Control System (TCS), utilizing

Tactical Common DataLink (TCDL), Unmanned

Common Automatic Recovery System (UCARS)

MH-60MQ-8B

Complementary Aircraft Capabilities

VTUAV OPERATIONS SCHEDULE

Weapons Firing

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 11-924, 16 June 2011

Fire Scout Specification & Size Comparisons

7

3 MQ-8B Aircraft Stowage within

SH-60 Footprint

L (ft) H (ft) Rtr D

(ft) GW (lbs) Max (kts) Ceil (ft)

End (hrs)

MH-60S/R 64.8 17.5 53.7 22,500 180 13,000 3.0/3.5

MQ-8B 30 9.7 27.5 3,150 85+ 12,500+ 6.0+

Jet Ranger 39.2 8.3 33.4 3,350 128 20,000 4.7

13.75 ft (4.2 m)

9.7 ft

(2.96 m)

5.75 ft (1.8 m)

WLO

15.5 ft (4.7 m)

7.58 ft (2.3 m)

30 ft (9.15 m)

14.5 Degree1.92 ft (.6 m)

7.5 ft

(2.3 m)

Length 30 ft (9.15 m)Rotor Diameter 27.5 ft (8.4 m)Height 9.7 ft (2.96 m)Gross Weight 3,150 lbs (1,429 kg)

Engine Rolls-Royce 250-C20WSpeed 85+ KnotsCeiling 12,500+ ft (3.8 km)Endurance 6+ Hours


Fire Scout Operational Status

• Military Utility Assessments– USS McInerney Summary

• 6 month deployment in Pacific

• Twenty-four (24) flights, 60+ flight hours

• Mission: Counter-narcotics and Air Det Training– First UAV assist in successful drug interdiction mission

(3.3 hrs. of covert surveillance)

– USCG detachment made the arrests

– USS Halyburton is deployed with Fire Scout in January for 5th/6th fleet operations to include Horn of Africa

• ISRTF will sponsor Navy Fire Scouts to deploy overseas in early 2011 – Primary mission is full motion video (300 hours per

month)

– Alternate mission is to Counter Improved Explosive Devices

8

Fire Scout tour on McInerney culminated with successful

Detect-to-Intercept Counter Narcotics Operation


FS-FFG_Drug_Bust_with_data.wmv

MQ-8B Fire Scout Current Status

• USS HALYBURTON

(FFG-40)

– Underway NOV 2010

– Deployment Jan-Aug

2011

– 2 MQ-8B/1 SH60B

– Specialized Payloads

– AIS

• Littoral Combat Ship Dynamic Interface Testing– LCS-1 DI (Completed NOV 2010, OT FY12)

– LCS-2 DI (APR 2011)

• ISR TF CENTCOM

Deployment

– Detachment in place;

IOC May 2011

– 3 A/C, 2 GCS, 300

hrs/mo FMV using GOCO

contract

• Contracts FY11 -- Eleven vehicles

• NOV 2010 – LCS-1 Dynamic Interface and FFG-

40 Workup Periods

• JAN 2011 – USS HALYBURTON CENTCOM

Deployment -- Counter piracy, maritime ISR,

humanitarian tasking, maritime support of SOF

proof of concept

− Excellent performance (220+ hrs / 98.2% sortie

completion rate)

− Program record for single day long duration ops

(18.1 hrs)

− Conducted dual H-60/VTUAV ops

• May 2011 - >2000 total MQ-8B Flight Hours

• ISR TF Deployment to Afghanistan

– Aircraft & personnel arrived April

– Flight operations underway since early May

– Excellent interaction with US Army

• RADAR; SRR funded; awaiting budget

• Weapons; RDC; funded FY11

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 11-924, 16 June 2011

Demonstrated Flexibility

• The Army Maneuver Battle Lab conducts AEWE each year at Fort Benning, GA to refine capability gaps focused on Network-Enabled Warfare at the Small Unit Level

• Fire Scout demonstrated unique Vertical UAS capabilities in various scenarios

– Using its EO/IR sensor for RSTA/ISR

– Aerodynamic pods for MAINGATE communication relay

• UHF Wide Band Router (5 Mbps)

– Pelican case cargo pods for small unit resupply

– Unique sling system for Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) and Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) deployment

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Small Unit Logistics Resupply

Autonomous Logistics Resupply at Unprepared Site

Unmanned Ground Vehicle Deployment

NG’s Universal Control Station

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 10-0323 Dated 3/15/10

“MAINGATE” Comms Relay, RSTA/ISR Day/Night ops

11

Current

Long Dwell Surveillance

SAR Search

Force Protection Multiplier

Mine Warfare (compliment MH-60S)

Future

ASUW Large Area Surveillance

ASUW Kill

Data Relay

ASUW Search

ASUW Detect

ASUW Track

ASUW ID

Surveillance

Communication Relay

Maintain Common

Operating Picture

Mission Capability Comparison

Logistics

Search and Rescue

ASW Search

ASW Detect

ASW Track

ASW Classify

ASW Kill

ASUW Large Area Surveillance

ASUW Kill

Fire Scout Complements Many Current Mission Sets

MQ-8B and SH-60B

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 09-255 Dated 11 March 2009

Flexibility, Mission Enhancement and Future Capability at Low Maintenance and Logistics Cost

Fire Scout Payload Spiral Development

EO/IR/LRF

USN Baseline Future/Potential

Modular Payload Architecture

• Swap payloads between missions (Load and Go)

• System recognizes payload and automatically loads software module

• Easily accommodate new payloads via defined interface specifications and open architecture

• Minor control changes to hardware/software on air vehicle and GCS for new payloads

Maritime Multi-Mode Radar

RADAR (Baseline in 2012)

• Communications and data relay packages

• Chem/Bio/Nuclear Detect

• Homeland Security

• EW/SIGINT

• SATCOM

• Acoustic relay

• Lightweight sonobuoys

• FLIR Star SAFIRE III

• Logistics Supply PodsAutomatic Identification System

Mine Detection EO/IR/LRF

Near Term Payloads

Logistics Supply Pods

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited: NAVAIR 10-731 Dated 11 May 2010

13 Approved for Public Release: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 10-0615 Dated 4/29/10

Fire-X Description

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Mission: To provide ship-based

and/or land-based intelligence,

surveillance, target acquisition,

reconnaissance (ISTAR) and

cargo to tactical users

Performance:

• 3200 lbs useful load

• 15 hrs time on station

• 140kts max airspeed

• 2650 lbs Max sling load


Fire-X System Evolution

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Fire-X Production UAV

Navy RQ-8A

Bell 206L

Navy MQ-8B

Bell 407

OH-58D

Existing TCS Control Segment

Fire X Demonstrator

Schweizer 333

Leverages MQ-8B

Ship Integration

Leverages current Navy program of record and over 10 years of development


Schweizer 333MQ-8B

Bell 407

Fire-X System Makeup

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TCDL

• Wide band data link

• Component of LCS

• Added for other ship

classes

Mission Execution

• Mission planning

interface?

• Strike planning?

• Intel analysis

Support Segment

• Deck Handling

• Refuel/Defuel

• Non-powered A/C movement

• Landing Grid

Key

Existing

Modification

New

• Voice Digitizing Module

• Engine Interface Unit

• EO/IR Payload

• Ground control Panel

• I/O Data Panel

• Harpoon

• 3 UHF/VHF Antennas

• 1 UCARS Antenna

• 2 TCDL Antennas

• 2 GPS/INS Antennas

• 2 RADALT Antennas

• 2 IFF Antennas97% common software, 3%

Vehicle Specific Module

Air Vehicle

Software

All system attributes greater than TRL 9

LSO

• Method to

monitor and

communicate with aircraft

• Safety of Flight Ops

UCARS

• Guidance, Nav, &

Control

• Precision Nav

Ship Control Station

TCS

• ARC-210 Radios

• TCDL

• GPS/INS

• RADALT

• IFF

• Flight Power Conditioning Unit

• Aux Power Conditioning Unit

• Environmental Control System

• Ethernet Switch & Router

• Payload Interface Unit

• Ice Detector

• Vehicle Management Computers (2)

• Flight Control / Engine Actuators (6)

Common Equipment

Approved for Public Release: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 11-0461, 4/5/11; NAVAIR Approval 4/7/11

MQ-8B to Fire-X Comparison

Performance Metric Fire-XMQ-8B

Fire Scout

Maximum Speed 135 knots 100 knots

Cruise Speed 120 knots 95 knots

Service Ceiling 20,000 feet 12,500 feet

Maximum Range (with 170 lb EO/IR sensor)

1227 nautical

miles

618 nautical

miles

Maximum Endurance(with 170 lb EO/IR sensor)

15 hours 8 hours

Useful Load (total fuel plus payload)

3200 pounds 1242 pounds

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MQ-8B

Fire-X

41.4 ft (12.61 m)

34.7 ft (10.57 m)

10.8 ft (3.30 m)

3.8 ft (1.16 m)1.4 ft (0.42 m)

17.5 ft (5.33m)

13.75 ft (4.2 m)

8.7 ft (2.64 m)

7.5 ft (2.3 m)

9.7 ft (2.96 m)

1.4 ft (0.42 m)

7.85 ft (2.39 m)23.95 ft (7.29 m)5.75 ft (1.8 m)


MQ-8B – Fire-X Size Comparison

19 Approved for Public Release: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 11-0461, 4/5/11; NAVAIR Approval 4/7/11

Fire-X: Multiple Missions Capable

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Key Features

• Versatile

• Field-reconfigurable payload design

• Proven UAS architecture, FAA-certified airframe

• Supports multi-intelligence, surveillance and/or

specialized payloads

• Flexibility for internal, external and combination

cargo loads

• Operates with Navy and Army control stations

• Global logistics infrastructure already in place

• Available payloads: EO/IR, SAR, Communications

Relay, SIGINT, ELINT, Multi-INT


Fire-X Missions

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Maritime ISR

Surface Warfare

Mine Counter Measures

Anti-Submarine Warfare

Anti-Piracy

Counter Drug Ops

Logistics

Communications Relay

Search & Rescue

Littoral ISR

Special Operations support

Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Relief


Operational View

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FORCEnet

VTUAV

TCDL

CSG/ESG

Anti-Submarine

Warfare (ASW)

Mine-Counter-Mine

(MCM)

Communications

Relay

Intel/Surv/

Recon/Targeting

(ISRT)

EO/IR/LDRF

Radar

Sonar

DATA

COMMS

BriteStar II

EO/IR/LDRF

and Radar


Maritime ISR

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EO/IR

Radar

AIS

Fire-X extends the ISR

horizon for the Fleet by

expanding the

Common Operating

Picture

DATA

COMMS


Littoral ISR

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EO/IR

DATA

COMMS

Radar

SIGINT

• Fire-X provides ISR

data on ports of interest

• Radar imagery

• EO/IR video

• SIGINT


Surface Warfare

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EO/IR

Radar

Small Boat Swarm

• Fire-X enables early detection and classification of enemy vessels

• Also provides cross cueing to armed manned helos

DATA

COMMS


Logistics

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Fire-X can carry over 2,600 lbs with external sling load


Anti-Submarine Warfare / Communications Relay

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Sonar

EO/IR

Radar

• Non-acoustic search capability

• Cross-cueing to other ASW platforms (MH-60R, P-3C)

• Communication relay to other airborne assets or back to the ship

DATA

COMMS


Summary

Fire-X demonstrates the MQ-8B’s

proven and highly-reliable architecture

is transplantable and can significantly

accelerate the time to field increased

capability at an affordable cost

28 Approved for Public Release: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Case 11-0461, 4/5/11; NAVAIR Approval 4/7/11

mq-8b fire scout and fire-x overview and status update

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