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UAVs, not just an Air Force gig anymore

Swanee said:
I've also heard (from the old man) that the AF wants rated guys flying them due to the weapons and what not they are carrying.......Maybe it's a jobs program to ensure that the Air Force will always have their rated guys on top? It wouldn't surprise me. :confused:
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USAF UAV's are also usually only the most expensive ones, a single Reaper costs about $13 million and a Global Hawk a lot more. Most Army UAV's are much cheaper with only the MQ-1C Warrior approaching that cost.
 
I know this is an old post but I have a question... Is the pilot of the Fire Scout actually on the ship in a little room with a tv screen, a joystick and a flight suit on? (this seems like it might cause problems because of the ship pitching and rolling and giving the pilot more to deal with) Or is he in Las Vegas in the back of a converted cargo trailer like the Predator pilots (I don't know exactly where the predator pilots are but I'm pretty sure they're not in the same theater as the actual planes)
 
bubblehead said:
I remember reading on the Internet's that Predator pilots are at Nellis.
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He's asking about the Fire Scout:

This picture was way too big to put here:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/USS_Nashville_LPD-13_with_Fire_Scout.jpg

But if you don't want to click on that:

800px-RQ-8A_Fire_Scout.jpg


Also, when I was on LCS-1, I vaguely remember them saying that they control it onboard the ship.
 
UpstateSouthpaw said:
I know this is an old post but I have a question... Is the pilot of the Fire Scout actually on the ship in a little room with a tv screen, a joystick and a flight suit on? (this seems like it might cause problems because of the ship pitching and rolling and giving the pilot more to deal with) Or is he in Las Vegas in the back of a converted cargo trailer like the Predator pilots (I don't know exactly where the predator pilots are but I'm pretty sure they're not in the same theater as the actual planes)
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Most UASs are not flown like an actual aircraft anymore. The operator just specifies/creates waypoints and the aircraft flies to them. It's not like a flt sim, yanking and banking with stick, rudder, and throttle. Don't know about the Fire Scout in particular.
 
phrogdriver said:
Most UASs are not flown like an actual aircraft anymore. The operator just specifies/creates waypoints and the aircraft flies to them. It's not like a flt sim, yanking and banking with stick, rudder, and throttle. Don't know about the Fire Scout in particular.
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All of the Predator variants (M/RQ-1/9) are "hand-flown". The Global Hawk is operated as you say, with preplanned waypoints.
 
When I was on LCS-1 I talked to a Chief who said he was the one who "flew" the Fire Scout, flew in quotations because flying the Fire Scout involves sitting at a computer station and plugging in waypoints and altitudes, and just watching the monitor. The only thing that was unclear was on the armed missions who had the weapons release athority.
 
Fire Scout, arriving

web_090508-N-2821G-001.jpg


web_090508-N-2821G-158.jpg


090508-N-2821G-158 ATLANTIC OCEAN (May 8, 2009) The Northrop Grumman Corporation-developed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle MQ-8B Fire Scout flies over the Atlantic Ocean. Fire Scout is embarked aboard the guided-missile frigate USS McInerney (FFG 8), while the ship prepares for an upcoming counter-illicit trafficking deployment to Latin America, where the ship is scheduled to use Fire Scout to assist with counter-drug operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alan Gragg/Released)
 
web_090508-N-2821G-146.jpg


090508-N-2821G-146 ATLANTIC OCEAN (May 8, 2009) The Northrop Grumman Corporation-developed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle MQ-8B Fire Scout hovers over the flight deck of the guided-missile frigate USS McInerney (FFG 8). McInerney is preparing for an upcoming counter-illicit trafficking deployment to Latin America, where the ship is scheduled to use Fire Scout to assist with counter-drug operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alan Gragg/Released)
 
web_090508-N-2821G-059.jpg


090508-N-2821G-059 ATLANTIC OCEAN (May 8, 2009) The Northrop Grumman Corporation-developed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle MQ-8B Fire Scout hovers over the flight deck of the guided-missile frigate USS McInerney (FFG 8). McInerney is preparing for an upcoming counter-illicit trafficking deployment to Latin America, where the ship is scheduled to use Fire Scout to assist with counter-drug operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alan Gragg/Released)
 
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