USN mothballs 28 MQ-8Cs

The U.S. Navy’s Program Executive Office for Strike and Unmanned Aviation has decided to maintain 10 MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in active service, while keeping the remaining 28 MQ-8Cs in Level 2 preservation. This means that the UAVs in preservation will be stored in such a way that they can easily be restored to service when needed.

211222-N-FA490-1213 APRA HARBOR, Guam (Dec. 22, 2021) An MQ-8C Fire Scout attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, on the flight deck of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Jackson (LCS 6). HSC-23 and Jackson, part of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, are on a rotational deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operation to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Andrew Langholf)

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DOT&E raises concern over the testing of the F/A-18 IRST Block II

The Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) has raised concerns with the operational testing schedule of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Infrared Search and Track (IRST) Block II program.

IRST Pod on NAWC China Lake F-18 ground taxi Feburary 12, 2913

Photo: Lockheed Martin
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