up to 150 targets, the new radar
extends the search area of the LCS
and increase detection accuracies
out to 70 miles (113km). During
the deployment, data collected by
the MQ-8B was used to provide
over-the-horizon targeting for
an RGM-84D Harpoon Block 1C
anti-ship missile that was red
from the USS Coronado. In another
demonstration, the MQ-8B
provided laser designation for an
AGM-114 Hell re missile red from
an MH-60S.
Production of the MQ-8B was
terminated in FY 2011 following
the navy’s decision to pursue
the purchase of the larger Bell
Model 407 airframe. The navy
now operates 24 MQ-8Bs and
plans call for them to equip eight
systems that will be available for
deployment aboard the LCS.
Jointly developed by Northrop
Grumman and Bell Helicopter
under the project name Fire-X
beginning in 2010, the MQ-8C
integrated the Fire Scout’s
architecture with the Bell 407
airframe. It rst ew at Naval Base
Ventura County-Point Mugu,
California, in October 2013. The
MQ-8B and MQ-8C share much of
their software as well as ground
control station equipment.
Procurement plans include a total
of 40 MQ-8Cs; 30 examples havealready been purchased and 19
were in service in late 2017. The
navy increased its requirement
for MQ-8C air vehicles from 28
to 40 due to its transition from a
rapid deployment capability to a
program of record.
The MQ-8C completed dynamic
interface testing aboard the
guided missile destroyer USS
James Dunham (DDG 109)
in December 2014. A land-
based operational assessment
followed in early 2016. Dynamic
interface testing aboard the
USS Montgomery (LCS 8) was
completed in April 2017. The MQ-
8C began initial operational test
and evaluation in April 2018 and
subsequent sea-based testing will
follow during the summer aboard
a littoral combat ship. It is expected
to achieve IOC in late Fiscal 2018.
In October 2016, the navy
selected the Leonardo AN/
ZPY-8A/N Osprey X-band active
electronically scanned array
(AESA) surveillance radar for the
MQ-8C. The Osprey provides a
240° eld of view and a range
of modes that include weather
detection, air-to-air targeting
and a ground moving target
indicator (GMTI). Plans also call for
integration of the APKWS II and
mine countermeasures payloads
with the MQ-8C.19). It entered low-rate initial
production (LRIP) in 2013 and
achieved IOC in January 2016.
The RQ-21A provides persistent
maritime and land-based tactical
reconnaissance, surveillance, and
target acquisition (RSTA) data
collection and dissemination
capabilities.
Procurement of the RQ-21A
was completed when thenavy purchased the last of
25 unmanned systems in FY- Each Blackjack system is
comprised of ve air vehicles,
two ground control stations
and day/night full-motion video
cameras, infra-red marker, laser
range nder, communications
relay package and automatic
identi cation system (AIS)
receiver payloads.
Squadron Location Aircraft Command Tail code
VUP-19 ‘Big Red’ NAS Jacksonville, Florida MQ-4C CPRW-11 PEVUP-19 ‘Det Mugu’
NB Ventura County- Point Mugu,
California
MQ-4C CPRW-11 PE
VX-20 ‘Force’ NAS Patuxent River, Maryland MQ-4C NAWCADVX-30 UAS
NB Ventura County- Point Mugu,
California
NRQ-21A,
RQ-23A,
MQ-8B/C
NAWCADVX-31 NAS China Lake, California MQ-9A NAWCAD
CPRW-11 Det NAS Patuxent River,
Maryland RQ-4A CPRW-11
NTWL UAS Test
Directorate
(see note 1)NOLF Webster Field,
MarylandMQ-8B,
RQ-21A,
RQ-26A
NAWCAD
1 NTWL UAS Test Directorate will be replaced by air test and evaluation squadron UX-24, which will be
established on October 1, 2018.UH-72A Lakota
Five EC-145s are in service with
the US Naval Test Pilot School at
NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
Acquired from Airbus Helicopters
in September 2008, the Lakotas are
operated under the designation
UH-72A. The twin-engine machines
are powered by two Turbomeca
Arriel 1E2 turboshafts and feature
a modern glass cockpit. The light
utility helicopters are used to train
students in rotary-wing ying
characteristics and test procedures.O-2A Pelican
Two heavily modi ed Cessna
Model 337 Skymasters that served
as unmanned air system (UAS)
surrogates and were operated by the
US Navy’s Center for Interdisciplinary
Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Studies
(CIRPAS) in Marina, California, have
been retired and were o ered
for sale by Government Services
Administration (GSA) auction in
mid-2017.T-38C Talon
The Naval Test Pilot School at NAS
Patuxent River, Maryland, ies 10
Northrop T-38C trainers. The Talons
serve as the school’s primary xed-
wing training assets and provide
instruction to student pilots, ight
o cers, and engineers in the
processes and techniques of aircraft
and systems test and evaluation.T-39D Sabreliner
A single T-39D is operated by VX-31
at NAWS China Lake, California.
The aircraft is the last survivor of
42 Sabreliner 40s acquired from
North American Aviation for use as
radar systems trainers beginning in- Powered by Pratt and Whitney
J60-P-3A turbojets, the T-39D is often
used to test seeker, fuse or radar
systems.
NU-1B Otter
A single de Havilland Canada DHC-3
is one of the oldest aircraft on the USnaval inventory. It is operated by
the Naval Test Pilot School at NAS
Patuxent River, Maryland, under
the designation NU-1B. The Otter is
one of 14 that were delivered to the
US Navy and it originally entered
service in September 1956, under
the designation UC-1A.U-6A Beaver
The Naval Test Pilot School at NAS
Patuxent River, Maryland, operates
two de Havilland Canada DHC-2s
under the designation U-6A. The
Beavers are the oldest aircraft on
the US Navy inventory and were
originally delivered to the USAF
under the designation L-20A.UV-18A Twin Otter
The US Navy acquired a single
UV-18A following its retirement by
the Alaska Army National Guard. It
acquired a second Twin Otter from
the US Army Parachute Team, the
Golden Knights, in September 2013.
Both serve as unmanned air system
(UAS) surrogates with the US
Navy’s Center for Interdisciplinary
Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Studies
(CIRPAS) from Marina Municipal
Airport in Marina, California.X-26A Frigate
The US Naval Test Pilot School at
NAS Patuxent River, Maryland,
operates two Schweizer Model SGS
2-32 high-performance sailplanes
under the designation X-26A.SF340A ASTARS II
A heavily modi ed Saab-Fairchild
SF340A is operated by Calspan
Corporation’s Flight Research
Group on behalf of the US Naval
Test Pilot School. The contractor-
owned, contractor-operated
(COCO) aircraft was modi ed
as an airborne systems training
and research support (ASTARS)
laboratory and arrived in 2010. It
replaced a Lockheed NP-3D Orion
that had been operated by the
school.MISCELLANEOUS TYPES
US NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018
US NAVY AIR POWER 2018^8566-85 US Navy Review C.indd 85 01/06/2018 10:12