Fire Scout Gets Radar Sensor To Aide Watchkeeper Offer
In a bid to boost its chances of winning Britain's Watchkeeper
unmanned aerial vehicle program, Northrop Grumman has integrated
a high-resolution imaging radar on its Fire Scout UAV to demonstrate
low-risk payload integration.
The integration began in March on one of the Fire Scouts, a 3,150
lb gross weight helicopter UAV. The upgraded drone was delivered
last week to the U.S. Naval Air Station, Patuxent River for ground-
and flight-testing to be conducted later this month. In addition
to the UK program, company officials hope the effort may give
the program a much-needed second wind in the U.S.
The tactical SAR gives Fire Scout an all-weather targeting capability,
complementing the electro-optical/infrared sensor already installed
on the unmanned helo. One of the primary objectives of the activity
is to validate that the radar maintains its performance quality
when installed on a rotorcraft. Moreover, the company hopes to
showcase the ability to conduct simultaneous radar, EO/IR, and
laser-designator operations.
The imaging and moving-target-tracking radar payload consists
of General Atomics' AN/APY-8 gimbaled antenna, radar electronics,
independent GPS and a Northrop Grumman interface unit that allows
the sensor to be controlled, with only small modifications, using
the Fire Scout's tactical datalink.
The company also recently reached another milestone with its core
U.S. Navy program, delivering the second production RQ-8A Fire
Scout to the service. Flight-testing of Fire Scout began in March
2002.
The Navy is trying to determine the future for the effort. Plans
for a large production program were scrapped when the Navy decided
it would rather pursue a Global Hawk-like high altitude endurance
UAV. However, there remains lingering support for production of
a ship-based tactical system, which its advocates hope will lead
the service to restore production plans once the development portion
of the program concludes. The Navy and Marine Corps have had a
long-standing requirement for a tactical UAV to replace the aging
Pioneers used in the past two U.S. military campaigns in Iraq.
