17 octobre 2024 | International, Aérospatial
16 juillet 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval
The Navy is looking at an unmanned helicopter to make its newest ships more lethal — and it just passed the first test
- The Navy recently completed initial testing of the MQ-8C Fire Scout, an unmanned helicopter capable of carrying three times as much payload as an earlier version.
- The Navy hopes to deploy the MQ-8C aboard littoral combat ships, augmenting their limited range and firepower.
- More testing is needed however, and the Navy is still evaluating how the arm the drone helicopter.
On June 29, US Navy crews completed the first comprehensive initial operational test and evaluation of the MQ-8C Fire Scout, an unmanned helicopter the Navy hopes will increase the lethality of the service's new littoral combat ships.
The aircraft carried out several mission scenarios from the USS Coronado, an LCS commissioned in 2014. The Coronado's crew and members of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 performed simulated engagements in order to review the MQ-8C's target-identification, intelligence-gathering, and surface-warfare abilities.
The testing showed "cohesion between the surface and aviation platforms," the Navy said in a release published on July 9.
"The results, lessons learned, and recommendations reported on following this underway test period are absolutely invaluable to the future of the MQ-8C Fire Scout's mission effectiveness and suitability to perform that mission," Lt. Cmdr. Seth Ervin, leader of the Air Test and Evaluation detachment on the Coronado, said in the release.
The testing also looked for ways to simultaneously operate both the Fire Scout and a MH-60S Seahawk manned helicopter onboard an LCS, finding that such operations were possible but required extensive planning and coordination.
"It has been challenging and rewarding to be one of the first maintainers afforded the opportunity to take both aircraft aboard the ship. Working together, we made the overall product more functional and efficient for the fleet," Aviation Machinist's Mate Second Class Salvatore Greene, a member of the testing squadron, said in the release.
The Coronado previously hosted tests of the smaller MQ-8B, which has been used in Afghanistan to detect improvised explosive devices.
The larger MQ-8C, which is based on the Bell 407 manned helicopter, retains the hardware and software for the smaller model but has twice the range and can carry a payload three times bigger. The MQ-8C can also fly for 11.5 hours because the redesign for the Fire Scout program fitted the Bell 407's passenger and cargo spaces with fuel tanks, according to Jane's 360.
The MQ-8B was to be equipped with a multimode maritime radar and the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, consisting of modified 70 mm Hydra rockets fitted with a guidance system. The MQ-8B was limited to three tube launchers, but Capt. Jeff Dodge, the Navy's Fire Scout program manager, told USNI News the service was looking to put seven tubes on the MQ-8C.
Limited space aboard the LCS complicates decisions about arming the Fire Scout. The LCS has one magazine that would store all weapons used by aircraft and the ship's own weapon systems.
Dodge said in April that the Navy was still deciding how to fit Fire Scout armaments in with the LCS's own weapons. Those complicating factors had effectively put a hold on efforts to arm the MQ-8C until 2023, Dodge said at the time.
The MQ-8C can land and takeoff autonomously from any aviation-capable ship and can carry out anti-submarine, anti-surface, mine warfare, and search-and-rescue operations, according to Northrop Grumman.
Northrop has also touted the MQ-8C as a range-extender, adding up to 300 miles by providing targeting data for the LCS's over-the-horizon surface missile. The company plans to upgrade the MQ-8C with a new radar and datalink that allow it to send air-to-air and surface targeting information to surface ships.
The MQ-8C did its first ship-based flight in December 2014 on the USS Jason Dunham, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. It also did underway-testing aboard the littoral combat ship USS Montgomery in April 2017, when it took its first flight from an LCS.
Initial operational testing and evaluation for the MQ-8C began on April 16. Pierside testing focused on maintenance and cyber capabilities will continue on the Coronado through mid-July, the Navy said.
Initial operational capability is expected by the end of this year. The Navy hopes to have the MQ-8C aboard the LCS fleet by the early 2020s.
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Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 16, 2020
AIR FORCE Transcend Technological Systems LLC, Prattville, Alabama, has been awarded a ceiling $485,000,000 single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Hill Enterprise Data Center (HEDC) – sustainment, modernization, and consolidation. This contract provides for sustainment and onboarding support for the HEDC and applications within the HEDC. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and expected to be completed July 15, 2027. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and eight offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,500 will be obligated on the first task order, which will be awarded immediately after the basic contract. Air Force Sustainment Center Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8201-20-D-0001). NAVY Kanto Kosan Co. LTD, Kanagawa, Japan (N62649-20-D-0012); and Seaon Environmental LLC, Tempe, Arizona (N62649-20-D-0013), are awarded a not-to-exceed $35,201,535 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract that will include terms and conditions for the placement of firm-fixed-price task orders to provide oily wastewater purification services. This will include providing an oily water disposal barge, arranging oil/chemical separating barge consisting of a receiving tank, oil collecting tank, and a minimum of three settling tanks and purifying collected water/oil and discharge to the sea in accordance with applicable regulations in support of the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center, Yokosuka and Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka Port Operations. Work will be performed at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Yokosuka, Japan. The contracts will run concurrently and will include a one-year base ordering period with four one-year option ordering periods. The initial ordering period will continue until July 2021; if all options are exercised, the final ordering period will be completed by July 2025. The total estimated value of the contracts will be $65,000,000. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (OMN) funds in the amount of $100,000 ($50,000 on each of the two contracts) will be obligated at time of award and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Annual OMN funds will be obligated as individual task orders are issued. This contract resulted from a full and open competitive solicitation and the requirement was posted to the Asia Navy Electronic Commerce Online and the Federal Business Opportunities websites, with two offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka, Contracting Department, Yokosuka, Japan, is the contracting activity. Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $15,296,009 cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-17-C-5410 to exercise options for engineering and technical services and obsolescence solution in support of Standard Missile-2/6. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by June 2021. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. government (68.2%); and the governments of Australia, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Spain, Netherlands and Denmark (31.8% combined), under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. This contract also combines purchases for other Department of Defense funds (47.2%); FMS programs (31.8%); and the Navy (21%). Fiscal 2020 other Department of Defense funds; 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds; fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) funds; and FMS funds in the amount of $15,296,009 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Beckman Coulter Inc., Brea, California, is awarded a $14,916,335 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract is for the production, test and delivery of up to 800 particle counter units to replace all existing obsolete units currently in use throughout the Navy and Marine Corps fleet. These units will provide the fleet's intermediate maintenance level technicians a mechanism for measuring particle contamination in fluids from aircraft government support equipment in hangars and depots in support of the Navy Hydraulic Contamination Program. Work will be performed in Loveland, Colorado (75%); and Brea, California (25%), and is expected to be completed by June 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal and two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-20-D-0031). B.C. Schmidt Construction Inc.,* Colusa, California, is awarded a $10,000,000 maximum amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for new flooring work, additions, alterations, maintenance and repairs at various locations within Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, California. The work to be performed provides for the minimal design, installation, supervision, equipment, material, labor and all means necessary for new work. No task orders are being issued at this time. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $2,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); O&M, N; and O&M (Marine Corps). This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov contract opportunities website and three proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-D-1117). ARMY Carahsoft Technology, Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $29,837,009 firm-fixed-price contract for movement of the logistics modernization program to the cloud. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work will be performed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of July 15, 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $29,837,009 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-20-F-0419). Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, was awarded a $28,543,191 hybrid (cost-no-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee) contract to provide a full spectrum of support to the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex at Eielson Air Force Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 15, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-F-0120). HDR Architecture Inc., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $21,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide architectural and engineering services in support of planned construction projects at the Veteran Administration American Lake Campus. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 16, 2028. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle, Washington, is the contracting activity (W912DW-20-D-1003). CORRECTION: The contract announced on June 15, 2020, for General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan (W56HZV-20-F-0382), for $249,000,000 should have included this additional sentence: The initial delivery order is being awarded under this action to obligate $14.1 million to provide field service representative support for remaining test events, data deliverables, refurbishment of test systems, production of 24 S-MET systems, associated authorized stock list kits and prescribed stock list kits. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2277243/source/GovDelivery/