MQ-8 UAV

The MQ-8 UAV Program is a Navy aircraft procurement initiative focused on the acquisition and operational deployment of the MQ-8 Fire Scout Unmanned Air System (UAS). The primary objective of this program has been to provide the Navy with a vertical take-off and landing, expeditionary unmanned aircraft system capable of day and night operations from both ship and shore. The MQ-8 Fire Scout enhances the Navy's intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (ISR-T) capabilities, particularly for Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and other suitably equipped air-capable vessels, by offering persistent airborne coverage without relying on joint theater or national assets.

Throughout its operational lifecycle, the program has coordinated with multiple Navy agencies, including Commander Naval Air Forces, Commander Naval Surface Forces, Naval Air Systems Command, and Naval Sea Systems Command. These agencies have worked together to ensure the MQ-8C Fire Scout's integration with fleet operations, its maintenance, and its eventual divestment. The program's goals included the procurement of a total of 68 air vehicles comprising 30 MQ-8Bs and 38 MQ-8Cs with 59 funded through procurement and 9 through research, development, test, and evaluation accounts.

The MQ-8C Fire Scout System of Systems consists of several key components: the Mission Control System (MCS), Unmanned Common Aircraft Recovery System (UCARS) for shipboard launch and recovery, and the Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) for command, control, and payload data transmission. These systems are designed to support both shipboard and shore-based operations, with quantities and schedules tailored to host ship requirements and operational deployment plans. The program also included land-based MCS units to supplement shipboard systems for pre-deployment, acceptance flights, and depot-level maintenance activities.

In terms of operational objectives, the MQ-8 Fire Scout was intended to support a range of mission sets, including surveillance and reconnaissance, surface warfare, and mine countermeasures. The deployment quantities of air vehicles and support equipment were determined based on LCS and other air-capable ship requirements, as well as future platforms such as the FFG. The deployed system includes the air vehicle, mission payloads such as electro-optical/infrared sensors, laser designators, radar, automated identification systems, and communications relay, as well as control systems, recovery systems, and associated spares and support equipment.

As of the conclusion of FY 2024, the Navy has made a strategic decision to divest the MQ-8C Fire Scout inventory and associated equipment. Operational employment is ending in the fourth quarter of FY 2024, with full sundown of the program expected by the fourth quarter of FY 2026. This decision is reflected in the FY 2026 budget, which requests no additional funding for the MQ-8 UAV line item. The divestment process involves long-term preservation of 17 MQ-8C air vehicles at Naval Base Ventura County, with two units lost to attrition and all MQ-8Bs already retired as of September 2022.

Cost analysis for the program shows that the majority of expenditures were allocated to airframe procurement, government-furnished electronics, ancillary equipment, and support costs such as ground support equipment, training devices, technical publications, and production engineering support. No new procurement is planned beyond FY 2024. The program's support infrastructure was designed to ensure operational readiness and effective integration with host platforms throughout its lifecycle.