MQ-8 Fire Scout deploys with upgraded mission control system
NewsApril 28, 2016
SAN DIEGO. The U.S. Navy's Naval Air Systems Command MQ-8 Fire Scout deployed onboard the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Coronado with Raytheon's mission control system.
The Fire Scout adds situational awareness to the LCS. Raytheon officials say the Navy's hardware and Raytheon's software were combined for Fire Scout missions in littoral waters. The hardware and software are built with an open architecture to maximizing flexibility and add new technology as needed.
Fire Scout now provides the potential for multiple platforms to be controlled from a single MCS aboard the ship, says Captain Jeff Dodge, U.S. Navy, Fire Scout program manager.
USS Coronado is the first LCS to use this upgraded Fire Scout MCS operationally. It has logged more than 600 hours of testing.
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