CDR James Borghardt
PMA-266 Multi-Mission Tactical
Unmanned Air Systems
MQ-8C Air Vehicle
Deputy Program Manager
23 February 2015
The USN’s Vertical Take-Off UAS Capability
MQ-8 Fire Scout:
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
2
Fire Scout Evolution
Specification Airframe Avionics Control Station
Pioneer Replacement
110 nm Range
3 hours On Station
200 lbs payload
ARC-210 Radios
RADALT
APX-118 IFF
FWD/AFT Power Control Units
Engine Interface Unit
Environmental Control System
Ice Detector/OAT
Vehicle Management Computers
Flight Control / Engine Actuators
Voice Digitizing Module
Maintenance Portable Electronic
Display Device (MPEDD)
EO/IR Payload
Ground Control Panel
Harpoon
UCARS
TCDL
GPS/INS (Kearfott)
Vibration Monitoring System
UCARS
TCDL
GPS/INS
4 ARC-210 Radios
2 workstations
3 equipment racks
Analog Interfaces
Provide ISR for LCS Mission
Packages
110 nm Range
3 hours On Station
>200 lbs Payload
All RQ-8A Equipment Plus:
I/O Data Panel
Ethernet Switch/Router
Payload Interface Unit
AIS
Complete Software Developmental / Test
Radar RDCs
All RQ-8A Equipment Plus:
Reduction of Equipment Racks
on LCS from 3 to 1
Digital Interfaces
Ethernet Switch/Router
Complete Software
Developmental / Test
Provide Interim Maritime
ISR Support to SOF
150 nm Range
8 hours On Station
>300 lbs Payload
MQ-8B Equipment Changes:
Bell 407
INS/GPS (LN-251)
IFF (APX-123)
Cubic TCDL
ARC-210 5th Gen
Digital Engine Control
Engine Health Monitor
Vibration Monitoring System
Tech Refresh
Updated displays
Updated processors
No Change from MQ-8B
Equipment
RQ-8A
3 bladed
Did not meet endurance
MQ-8B
4 bladed
Increased internal capacity
Increased Endurance
MQ-8C
Endurance Upgrade RDC
4 bladed
Increased internal capacity
Increased Endurance
> 15,000 Flight Hours
> 350 Flight Hours
MQ-8C Fully Leverages MQ-8B Operational Experience & Investment
to Evolve for Increased Endurance and Payload
173.3 Flight Hours
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Fire Scout MQ-8B Accomplishments
Support LCS Mission Packages in conjunction with the MH-60 LCS-1 Dynamic Interface (DI) testing (Nov 2010);
LCS-3 DI expansion (Nov 2013)
COBRA MCM Capability land testing (Apr 2013)
SUW Mission Package Assessment (Apr 2014)
LCS-4 DI testing (Sep 2014)
ISR Task Force Support in Afghanistan
2 A/C, 2 GCS, 300 hrs/mo FMV
First flight 2 May 2011
Last flight 1 August 2013
1,438 flights for 5,084.3 flight hours completed
Mission completed August 2013
Maritime ISR Support to SOF Emergent Requirement approved in January 2012
Deployments continue aboard USS Elrod (2014)
DDG installation complete; Testing 4QFY14
MQ-8B 10th FFG Deployment workups currently
ongoing aboard USS Simpson
Weapons Integration Employs APKWS
Land-based QRA (Jun 2013)
• Shipboard testing to be scheduled
Radar integration Provides wide-area maritime
search capability
QRA 3QFY14
• 2015 deployment
MQ-8B has flown over 15,000 flight hours since 2006,
with continuous growth in Flight Hours, Reliability and Operational Availability
2006 2021
USN MQ-8B Deployments Land Based Operations…7,408 Flt Hours
Test, Training and in Afghanistan
FFG Non-Integrated Operations…7,026 Flt Hours
10 deployments on six different ships
LCS Integrated Operations…96 Flt Hours
USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) is on 1st deployment with an MQ-8B and MH-60R
Coast Guard Congressional add to demonstrate
Fire Scout on WMSL 750
Ten day demonstration with up to two MQ-8B aircraft complete (Dec 2014)
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Fire Scout MQ-8C Accomplishments
MQ-8C aboard DDG-109 during Dynamic Interface Testing
MQ-8C Slopes Testing
at NAS Point Mugu, CA
Excellent Performance throughout Developmental Test (DT)
April 2012
First Contract Awarded
2 Test and 17 Production
Air Vehicles
October 31, 2013
First MQ-8C Flight
January 2013
Critical Design Review
successfully conducted
July 2014
Electromagnetic (E3)
testing complete
December 2014
DDG Dynamic Interface
completed aboard
DDG-109
October 2012
Preliminary Design Review
successfully conducted
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Fire Scout MQ-8C Current Status
268 Test Sorties
Flight Test
plan
on track
with
70% DT
points
complete
(as of Jan 2015)
19 MQ-8C air vehicles
either delivered or in the
build process
5 additional MQ-8C air vehicles
to be procured this year
359 Flight Hours
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Fire Scout MQ-8C Road Map
2015 Air Vehicle Production through 2023
MQ-8C production line has immediate and long term capacity for FMS customers
MQ-8C IOC September 2016
LCS Dynamic Interface Completes in February 2016
Radar Integration IOC 2018
COBRA Integration IOC 2020
MQ-8C Deployment & Sustainment Starts in FY17
IOT&E Completes in February 2016
• U.S. Navy planned quantity: 2 test and 38 production air vehicles
• Current USN production plan includes 2 air vehicle builds per year through 2023
CBT Completes in
September 2015
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Fire Scout MQ-8C Dimensions & Limits
8.7 ft
2.69 m 31.7 ft
9.78 m
41.4 ft
12.78 m
10.3 ft
3.18 m
R = 17.5 ft
5.40 m
9.9 ft
3.06 m 2.0 ft
0.62 m
8.5 ft
2.62 m
@ FwdTilt Limit
Parameter Limit
Maximum Takeoff Gross
Weight 6,000 lb / 2722 kg
Vehicle Empty Weight
(No fuel, no mission
payload)
3,000 lb / 1364 kg
Typical Mission Payload
Weight (EO/IR + AIS) 300 lb / 136 kg
Maximum Speed (Vmax) 130 knots / 241 km/hr
Maximum Endurance 12 hours
Maximum Internal
Payload 1,000 lb / 454 kg
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Fire Scout System Description
Fully Encrypted, Digital Data Links; Land & Sea Ops
Interoperable Control Station with Tactical Control System (TCS) software integrated
Fully Autonomous Air Vehicle
• Open Architecture
• GCCS-M, JDISS, AFATDS, CCTV & JSIPS-N
• NATO STANAG 4586 Compliant
• Multi-Vehicle control
UCARS-V2 for Ship Launch/Recovery
Tactical Control Data Link (TCDL)
Missio
n C
ontro
l Syste
m a
nd L
aunch
/Reco
very
Airframe
• Fully Digital, Dual Redundant Control System and C2 links
• Open System Architecture facilities integration and testing
• Radar (Maritime Surface Search/SAR)
• Weapons
• Data Mission Payload
COBRA
AIS
TAC-ISR (Omni)
BriteStar II EO/IR/LR/LD
Future Payload
Payload
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2014-491: Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Fire Scout MQ-8C Missions and Payloads
Modular Payload Architecture support multiple mission configurations
• Common software baseline
• Swap payloads between missions (Load and Go)
• System designed to recognize payload and automatically load appropriate software set
• Easily accommodate new payloads via defined interface specifications and open architecture
• Minor control changes to hardware/software on air vehicle and MCS for new payloads
Today EO/IR Sensors √ √ √ √ Today AIS √ √ Today Communication
Relay √ √ √ √
IOC 2018 Multi Mode
Maritime Radar √ √ √ √
IOC 2020 COBRA √ √
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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CSG/ESG
Mine-Counter-Measures (MCM)
Communications Relay
EO/IR Radar
EO/IR Radar
Surface Warfare (SUW)
Omni-Directional TCDL
DATA
VOICE
Key Technologies
Voice Relay
Advanced EO/IR
AIS
Rover / TacISR
Fire Scout MQ-8C Overview of Operations
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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A Day in the Life of MQ-8C
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Mobile and Shipboard Mission Control System
• MCS configured in NATO standard Air Combat
Element (ACE) shelter
– Provides same functionality as ship based deployment
– Portable on Land, Sea & Air
• Shipboard MCS is integrated within the ship
space (i.e. U.S. Navy LCS) and integrates ship’s
systems (SSDS, CDC)
– Uses ships integrated UHF/VHF antenna
– Hard-Mounted TCDL, UAV Common Automatic
Recovery System (UCARS) antenna
– Wiring modification to incorporate systems into
shipboard spaces
• MCS is integrated into ACE shelter and operated
from any air capable ship (i.e. USCG WMSL)
– Requires deck or hangar space for ACE shelter
– Requires dedicated cable runs
– Fully functional design that allows portability between
ships with minimal impact to the ship
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
13
Mission Control System (MCS)
• MCS provides the MQ-8C operators the displays, controls, and external interfaces.
• The Air Vehicle Operator (AVO) and Mission Payload Operator (MPO) control stations
are identical and allow backup for AVO.
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Fire Scout Operators
• The AVO has the primary task of monitoring the air vehicle status and controlling
launch, flight, and recovery operations.
• The MPO has the primary tasks of monitoring the payload health, status and
operation, evaluating payload data, and performing real-time operation of the
payload as required during the mission.
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
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Summary
• Multi-Int sensors certified for today’s threats
(ASuW, MCM)
• Persistent Intelligence, Surveillance,
Reconnaissance (ISR) and targeting
• Mature, reliable and maintainable systems and
airframe
• Increased endurance (MQ-8C)
• Will complement and reduce the burden on
manned systems
• Reduced flight hour cost, compared to USN
manned helicopters
• Designed to operate from all air capable ships and
shore facilities
• MQ-8C is on track to support the USN Small
Combatant Fleet
An Affordable Solution To Meet Your
Maritime Utility Security Requirements
NAVAIR Public Release SPR-2015-124 Distribution Statement A - Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited