Northrop Grumman [NOC] has received the first protective cage the will be used to house the avionics for the next generation of the Navy’s Fire Scout unmanned helicopters.
The Navy last year issued a contract to begin building the next version of Fire Scout (MQ-8C), which is based on the 407 airframe built by Textron [TXT] subsidiary Bell Helicopter.
The MQ-8C is designed for 15 hours of flight time, including eight on station, effectively doubling the time offered by the smaller MQ-8Bs currently deployed on naval frigates and in Afghanistan for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The protective cages are intended to store and shield the aircraft’s critical electronic components from strong electric fields and electromagnetic waves, guarding them from lightning or other possible electromagnetic interference, Northrop Grumman said yesterday.
The cages are being supplied by Summit Aviation, Northrop Grumman said.