in ,

Northrop Hands Navy 1st MQ-8C Autonomous Helicopter; George Vardoulakis Comments

Northrop Hands Navy 1st MQ-8C Autonomous Helicopter; George Vardoulakis Comments - top government contractors - best government contracting event
https://executivebiz-media.s3.amazonaws.com/2022/08/19/30/9f/c3/a0/b7/6f/d4/64/Executive-Biz.png
Northrop photo
Northrop photo

Northrop Grumman has handed over the U.S. Navy‘s first MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaisance missions.

The MQ-8C is designed to have a larger airframe and fly with three times more ISR payload than its predecessor variant MQ-8B, Northrop said Wednesday.

“The test program will run through the summer as we expect these aircraft to be ready for operations by year’s end,” said George Vardoulakis, Northrop vice president of medium range tactical systems.

The Navy plans to conduct flight tests from the USS Jason Dunham this winter before it evaluates aircraft systems for operational use.

Northrop is contracted to produce 19 MQ-8Cs for the service.

ExecutiveBiz Logo

Sign Up Now! ExecutiveBiz provides you with Daily Updates and News Briefings about C4ISR News

mm

Written by Mary-Louise Hoffman

is a writer of news summaries about executive-level business activity in the government contracting sector. Her reports for ExecutiveBiz are focused on trends and events that drive the GovCon industry to include commercial technologies that private companies are developing for federal government use. She contributes news content to ExecutiveBiz’s sister sites GovCon Wire and ExecutiveGov.

NASA Preps for Orion Unmanned Test Flight Today; Richard Boitnott Comments - top government contractors - best government contracting event
NASA Preps for Orion Unmanned Test Flight Today; Richard Boitnott Comments
Chris Marzilli: US Soldiers Use General Dynamics WIN-T for Ebola Mission in Africa - top government contractors - best government contracting event
Chris Marzilli: US Soldiers Use General Dynamics WIN-T for Ebola Mission in Africa