“We’re very excited to deliver this enhanced functionality out to the fleet,” stated Capt. Eric Soderberg, MQ-8 Hearth Scout program supervisor. “Our crew has been working carefully with the ship for a number of months to make sure this deployment is successful.”
MQ-8 Hearth Scout is the Navy’s solely unmanned helicopter, designed to ship real-time intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and focusing on capabilities. Hearth Scout brings elevated situational consciousness to the fleet in distributed maritime operations, extending the ship’s sensors vary and endurance.
Whereas underway, Helicopter Sea Fight Squadron (HSC) 22, Detachment 5, will make use of Hearth Scout and an embarked MH-60S Seahawk to conduct counter-narcotics operations. Hearth Scout will determine targets of curiosity and refine surveillance information of current targets of curiosity, permitting for enhanced capabilities for counter illicit drug trafficking missions.
“Hearth Scout is a pressure multiplier, not solely in our present mission, however in each mission the U.S. Navy conducts,” stated Cmdr. Brian Forster, commanding officer of Milwaukee. “I’m very excited concerning the crew I’ve onboard which has already, and can proceed to, display how manned and unmanned property can work collectively to successfully obtain the mission.”
The most recent variant, MQ-8C, has a better payload and endurance than its predecessor and is supplied with the Leonardo Osprey AN/ZPY-8 radar that considerably will increase Hearth Scout’s capacity to determine, detect and observe targets. The upgraded radar permits for a bigger subject of view and vary of digital modes.
The MQ-8C can be set to deploy within the Western Pacific later this 12 months.
From the Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Aerial Programs (UAS) Program Workplace.
