During a Griffin Missile System test in the Arabian Gulf last month, USS Monsoon took out its newest asset, the RQ-20A Puma AE, to gauge its capabilities.
160722-N-GC639-088 ARABIAN GULF (July 22, 2016) Electronics Technician 2nd Class Darius Jackman launches a Puma unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from the patrol coastal ship USS Monsoon (PC 4). Monsoon is one of ten patrol coastal ships assigned to Patrol Coastal Squadron (PCRON) 1 home-ported in Manama, Bahrain in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan D. McLearnon/Released)
The Navy says the Puma is ideal for small ships that lacked a helicopter or an organic airborne capability as the UAV can assembled, hand launched and operated in fewer than 10 minutes by a two-man team.
