Northrop Grumman‘s [NOC] MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned helicopter has successfully transmitted sensor data to the cockpit display of the MH-60 helicopter, the company said recently.
The demonstration enhances the speed at which field commanders can make better informed decisions during military operations, the company said.
“Fire Scout complements the Navy’s manned helicopters by effectively extending the range and area of ship-based intelligence gathering operations,” George Vardoulakis, Northrop Grumman’s vice president for tactical unmanned systems, said.
The demonstration took place in October near Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland.
Previously, Fire Scout would send the data to its home ship, which would relay the information to other platforms.
The Navy is the primary customer for Fire Scouts and is deploying them on Littoral Combat Ships, as part of the vessels modular mission package.