MQ-8 Fire Scout

Abstract

The MQ-8 Fire Scout program went through a Title 10 Section 2433 (Nunn-McCurdy Breach) review in 2014 due to a unit cost breach. The Department certified a restructured program to Congress on 16 June 2014. The restructured program that was certified includes MQ-8B air vehicles procured under the original program of record, MQ-8C air vehicles procured under the Department of the Navy's Rapid Deployment Capability (RDC) procurement process, and an additional 21 MQ-8C air vehicles to be procured to complete the program Fleet requirements of 70 air vehicles (61 procurement and 9 RDT&E), and associated Mission Control Stations (MCS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Common Automatic Recovery Systems (UCARS) and support equipment. The restructured program also includes the endurance upgrade, radar, and weapons capabilities, such as those developed under the Navy's RDC authorities. All acquisition actions previously planned under the RDCs have transitioned into the restructured program of record. The MQ-8B based system had an approved Milestone C (MS C) in May 2007. The Nunn-McCurdy certification process revoked the MS C approval. MS C for the restructured MQ-8 program is currently scheduled in the 2QFY16. The MQ-8 Fire Scout provides real-time and non-real-time Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) data to tactical users without the use of manned aircraft or reliance on limited joint theater or national assets. The baseline MQ-8 can accomplish missions including over-the-horizon tactical reconnaissance, classification, targeting and laser designation and battle management (including voice communications relay). The MQ-8 launches and recovers vertically, and can operate from any suitably equipped air capable ship, as well as area land bases. Interoperability is achieved through the use of the Tactical Control System (TCS) software integrated into the Mission Control Station (MCS) (also referred to as Ground Control Station (GCS)) and through the use of the Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL). The data from the MQ-8 will be provided through standard DoD Command, Control, Communications, Computers and ISR system architectures and protocols. A deployed MQ-8 system is comprised of: air vehicle(s), payloads (i.e. electro-optical/infra-red/laser designator-range finder, Automated Identification System, communications relay, radar, weapons, and other specialty payloads), MCS (with TCS and TCDL integrated for interoperability), a UCARS for automatic launch and recovery, and associated spares and support equipment. A limited number of land-based mission control stations supplement the shipboard systems to support shore-based operations, such as pre-deployment or acceptance functional check flights. These land based mission control stations will also support depot-level maintenance/post-maintenance activities. The MQ-8C provides additional mission endurance and payload-weight-power, increased reliability, and improved maintainability to the MQ-8 Fire Scout System. The MQ-8C is a more cost efficient and capable air vehicle that meets the requirements of the Fire Scout Capability Production Document (CPD). This budget transitions the MQ-8C Endurance Upgrade, Radar, and Weapons capabilities into the Program of Record.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2016
• Source ID: 2768_0305231N_7_1319_PB_2016

Tags

Fields of Study

• Engineering

Readers

• Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Directed Energy
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control