The flights at sea have been a conclusion of MQ-8 operational testing to return to routine flights on Littoral Fight Ships deployed to the Indo-Pacific. The MQ-8C, assigned to the “Wildcards” of Helicopter Sea Fight Squadron (HSC) 23, connected to Jackson, operated concurrently with the squadron’s MH-60S Seahawk helicopter.
The completion of the return to flight operations will enable the MQ-8C to proceed to function concurrently with different ships and airborne property as operations require. In current weeks, the “Blackjacks” of Helicopter Sea Fight Squadron (HSC) 21 additionally accomplished return to flight operations for his or her MQ-8B Hearth Scout variants, assigned to USS Tulsa (LCS 16) and USS Charleston (LCS 18) on deployment within the U.S. seventh Fleet space of operations.
“It’s nice to be flying the MQ-8C once more, particularly for an prolonged interval with our MH-60S,” stated Lt. Cmdr. Richard Mooney, head of HSC-23 detachment connected to Jackson. “Coordinated manned-unmanned operations like these present quite a few benefits to our floor combatants.”
MQ-8B and C Hearth Scout variants are designed for suitably geared up ship-based and land-based autonomous programs. MQ-8B and C Hearth Scout mixed with MH-60S lengthen Naval Aviation’s functionality to help maritime operations offering built-in, over-the-horizon intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and focusing on, and fight logistics help.
Hearth Scout operations are a whole-ship effort, requiring efficient coordination between the aviation and floor entities aboard.
“I’m extraordinarily happy with our crew and the HSC-23 detachment for his or her planning and execution in getting the MQ-8C within the air,” stated Cmdr. Brian Bungay, commanding officer, Jackson. “We’re excited to construct on this success and proceed to extend the LCS’s war-fighting functionality.”
Hooked up to DESRON 7, Jackson is on a rotational deployment to the U.S. seventh Fleet space of operations in help of safety and stability within the area, and to work alongside allied and companion navies to offer maritime safety and stability, key pillars of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Because the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer squadron in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7 serves as the first tactical and operational commander of littoral fight ships rotationally deployed to Singapore, features as Expeditionary Strike Group 7’s Sea Fight Commander, and builds partnerships via coaching workout routines and military-to-military engagements.
