Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout UAV is based on a commercial off-the-shelf Schweizer 333 manned helicopter manufactured in Horseheads, NY. The baseline design has proven a highly reliable and effective platform with extensive operating history. The Army plans to use Fire Scout for its Class IV Unmanned Air Vehicle within its Future Combat Systems program. The Fire Scout system allows for over-the-horizon targeting, communications relay, threat detection, intelligence gathering, precision strike support and real-time battle damage assessment. The Navy plans to use Fire Scout on board the Littoral Combat Ship, where sailors will operate both manned and unmanned helicopters to support operational requirements. These include real-time video imagery, intelligence gathering, communications-relay capability, precision targeting and battle damage assessment.
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