Stuart plays host to US Fire Scout
UAV aboard for static display

Northrop Grumman’s Fire Scout on the deck of HMAS Stuart. Photo by ABPH Bill Louys.

HMAS Stuart was the scene for a world “first” last month with the placement of an unmanned robotic helicopter on the deck of a ship.

The UAV is the “Fire Scout” a vertical take-off and landing tactical unmanned vehicle that in the US has done 61 successful flights.

“This is a big deal”, Mike Kaufhold, the international development manager for Northrop Grumman, said before thanking CMDR David Greaves for the use of his ship as a static demonstration site for the aircraft.

Mid year its developers hope to commence flight trials from a US warship, probably the USS Denver.

The aircraft is controlled from either a control room mounted on a four-wheel-drive vehicle or transportable container as in the case of a ship.

Principal purpose of Fire Scout is to provide additional “eyes” to the commander of a warship in that the UAV would use it optronic sensors and camera mounted under its nose, to provide images of the enemy. It could be used as a radio relay platform.

As Mike Kaufhold agreed, it could be flown towards the enemy as a “sacrificial” aerial decoy.

At a glance

Takes off and lands vertically. Had 61 successful flights. Computer controlled. No joy stick — operator issues mouse commands. Could be used as sacrificial decoy. Could rescue downed flight crew

In an ultimate use it could be dispatched to collect a downed pilot using “saddlebags” fitted to the skids to bring him safely home.

A “joystick” held in the command centre does not fly the Fire Scout.

Instead the flight co-ordinates are punched into a computer and when “enter” is pushed, the UAV does the rest. Should the helicopter come under threat, the human operator would use a “mouse” to select a new heading and the aircraft would move to it, and out of harm’s way.

Returning to its ship, the Fire Scout will hover then send a wired “dart” into a mesh grille fixed to the deck.
Using nitrogen gas it will draw down and be secured even though the vessel might be pitching and rolling to eight degrees.

Fire Scout is not being bought or funded by the ADF or Australian Government. The demonstration was held on Stuart by Northrop Grumman to create interest in its product.

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