Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) flew its new Airborne Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Minefield Detection System (ASTAMIDS) for the first time aboard an unmanned air vehicle. ASTAMIDS, which is in development for the U.S. Army, flew on Northrop Grumman‘s new, company-owned MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Unmanned Air System helicopter, designated as “P6.” The ASTAMIDS-P6 flight took place at an Army test facility on September 12th. There were two flights that day. Using a tactical common data link, the company team at the developmental Tactical Ground Segment, a ground-based payload control center, successfully operated the Payload Command and Control and Imagery Data Collection systems in ASTAMIDS while it was airborne.
MQ-8B Fire Scout Handles Northrop Grumman Package With Aplomb
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) flew its new Airborne Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Minefield Detection System (ASTAMIDS) for the first time aboard an unmanned air vehicle. ASTAMIDS, which is in development for the U.S. Army, flew on Northrop Grumman‘s new, company-owned MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Unmanned Air System helicopter, designated as “P6.” The ASTAMIDS-P6 flight took place at an Army test facility on September 12th. There were two flights that day. Using a tactical common data link, the company team at the developmental Tactical Ground Segment, a ground-based payload control center, successfully operated the Payload Command and Control and Imagery Data Collection systems in ASTAMIDS while it was airborne.
