{"id":30145301,"date":"2026-10-29T14:31:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T13:31:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/"},"modified":"2026-10-29T14:32:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T13:32:14","slug":"mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/","title":{"rendered":"MQ-8C Fire Scout: Retired Navy Drones Get a Second Life With the Army"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n\n\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color .15s}\n.mfsh-trigger:hover,.mfsh-trigger:focus-visible{background:#0F1720;color:#fff;outline:none}\n.mfsh-trigger svg{width:18px;height:18px;display:block;flex-shrink:0}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-bottom{margin:8px 0 28px}\n.mfsh-meta{position:relative;padding-right:190px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta{position:absolute;right:0;bottom:0;margin:0;height:30px;padding:0 8.9px;font-size:13px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta svg{width:16px;height:16px}\n.mfsh-overlay{position:fixed;inset:0;background:rgba(15,23,32,.55);z-index:99999;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open{opacity:1;pointer-events:auto}\n.mfsh-sheet{width:100%;max-width:520px;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;padding:18px 20px 28px;transform:translateY(24px);transition:transform .22s;box-shadow:0 12px 32px rgba(15,23,32,.25);font-family:inherit;max-height:92vh;overflow:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open .mfsh-sheet{transform:none}\n@media (min-width:640px){.mfsh-overlay{align-items:center}.mfsh-sheet{padding-bottom:20px}}\n.mfsh-head{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;margin:0 0 14px}\n.mfsh-head strong{font-size:18px;font-weight:800;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-head strong svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-close{background:none;border:0;padding:6px;margin:0;cursor:pointer;color:#0F1720;line-height:0;box-shadow:none}\n.mfsh-close svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-preview{display:grid;grid-template-columns:96px 1fr;gap:12px;border:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:#F5F7FB;padding:10px;margin:0 0 12px;align-items:center}\n.mfsh-preview img{width:96px;height:72px;object-fit:cover;display:block;margin:0}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-kicker{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5C91FF;margin:0 0 4px;line-height:1.2}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-title{font-size:14px;line-height:1.3;font-weight:700;margin:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-list{display:grid;margin:0;padding:0}\n.mfsh-item{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;height:50px;width:100%;border:0;border-top:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:none;padding:0 4px;margin:0;text-align:left;font-family:inherit;font-size:15px;font-weight:600;color:#0F1720;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-item:hover,.mfsh-item:focus-visible{background:#F5F7FB;outline:none}\n.mfsh-item svg{width:20px;height:20px;color:#5C91FF;flex-shrink:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-item small{margin-left:auto;color:#5B6674;font-weight:500;font-size:12px}\n.mfsh-item.mfsh-done svg{color:#1E9E5A}\n.mfsh-toast{position:fixed;left:50%;bottom:32px;transform:translate(-50%,10px);background:#0F1720;color:#fff;padding:10px 16px;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;font-family:inherit;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s,transform .2s;z-index:100000}\n.mfsh-toast.mfsh-show{opacity:1;transform:translate(-50%,0)}\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.mfsh-overlay,.mfsh-sheet,.mfsh-toast,.mfsh-trigger{transition:none}}\n<\/style>\n<svg width=\"0\" height=\"0\" style=\"position:absolute\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-share\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M12 3v12M8 7l4-4 4 4M5 12v8h14v-8\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-close\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"m5 5 14 14M19 5 5 19\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-wa\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M12 2a10 10 0 0 0-8.6 15.1L2 22l5.1-1.3A10 10 0 1 0 12 2Zm0 1.8a8.2 8.2 0 1 1-4.2 15.3l-.3-.2-3 .8.8-2.9-.2-.3A8.2 8.2 0 0 1 12 3.8Zm-3 4.4c-.2 0-.5 0-.8.4-.3.3-1 1-1 2.4s1 2.8 1.2 3c.1.2 2 3.2 5 4.4 2.5 1 3 .8 3.5.7.5 0 1.7-.7 2-1.4.2-.7.2-1.3.1-1.4l-.5-.3-2-1c-.3 0-.5-.1-.7.2l-.9 1.1c-.2.2-.3.2-.6.1-.3-.2-1.3-.5-2.4-1.5-.9-.8-1.5-1.8-1.7-2-.2-.4 0-.5.2-.7l.4-.5.3-.5v-.5l-.9-2.2c-.2-.5-.4-.5-.6-.5H9Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-x\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M17.8 3h3l-6.7 7.7L22 21h-6.2l-4.8-6.3L5.4 21h-3l7.2-8.2L2 3h6.3l4.4 5.8L17.8 3Zm-1.1 16.2h1.7L7.4 4.7H5.6l11.1 14.5Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-fb\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M13.5 22v-8h2.7l.4-3.2h-3.1V8.8c0-.9.3-1.6 1.6-1.6h1.7V4.4c-.3 0-1.3-.1-2.5-.1-2.5 0-4.1 1.5-4.1 4.2v2.3H7.4V14h2.8v8h3.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-li\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.5 8.5H3V21h3.5V8.5ZM4.8 3a2 2 0 1 0 0 4 2 2 0 0 0 0-4ZM21 13.4c0-3.4-1.8-5.2-4.5-5.2-1.6 0-2.7.8-3.2 1.7V8.5H9.9V21h3.4v-6.4c0-1.7.6-2.8 2.1-2.8 1.4 0 2 1 2 2.8V21H21v-7.6Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-rd\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M22 12.1a2.4 2.4 0 0 0-4.1-1.7 11.7 11.7 0 0 0-5.5-1.7l1-4.5 3.1.7a1.7 1.7 0 1 0 .2-1l-3.6-.8a.5.5 0 0 0-.6.4l-1.1 5.2a11.8 11.8 0 0 0-5.8 1.7A2.4 2.4 0 1 0 3 14.3v.5c0 3.4 4 6.2 9 6.2s9-2.8 9-6.2v-.5a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 1-2.2ZM7.5 13.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 3.4 0 1.7 1.7 0 0 1-3.4 0Zm8.9 4.5c-1.2 1.2-3.4 1.3-4.4 1.3s-3.3-.1-4.4-1.3a.5.5 0 0 1 .7-.7c.7.8 2.4 1 3.7 1s2.9-.2 3.7-1a.5.5 0 0 1 .7.7Zm-.6-2.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 0-3.4 1.7 1.7 0 0 1 0 3.4Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-tg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M21.9 4.6 18.7 19.9c-.2 1-.9 1.3-1.7.8l-4.9-3.6-2.3 2.3c-.3.3-.5.5-1 .5l.4-5 9-8.2c.4-.3-.1-.5-.6-.2L6.4 13.5 1.6 12c-1-.3-1.1-1 .2-1.5l18.8-7.2c.9-.3 1.6.2 1.3 1.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-mail\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"M3 6h18v12H3z\"\/><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"m3 7 9 6 9-6\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-link\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M10 14a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 0l3-3a4 4 0 0 0-5.7-5.7l-1.5 1.5M14 10a4 4 0 0 0-5.7 0l-3 3a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 5.7l1.5-1.5\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-more\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"5\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"19\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/symbol>\n<\/svg>\n<span class=\"mfsh-top-slot\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger\" data-mfsh-placement=\"top\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button><\/span>\n<script>\n(function(){\n  if (window.__mfsh) return; window.__mfsh = true;\n  var SECTION = 'afterburner';\n  function meta(p){ var m=document.querySelector('meta[property=\"'+p+'\"]'); return m ? m.getAttribute('content') : ''; }\n  function pageUrl(){ var c=document.querySelector('link[rel=\"canonical\"]'); return (c && c.href) || (location.origin + location.pathname); }\n  function pageTitle(){ var h=document.querySelector('h1.entry-title'); return (h && h.textContent.trim()) || meta('og:title') || document.title; }\n  function slug(){ return location.pathname.replace(\/\\\/+$\/,'').split('\/').pop() || 'home'; }\n  function kicker(){ var c=document.querySelector('.et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category tag\"], .et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category\"], a[rel=\"category tag\"]'); return 'Afterburner' + (c && c.textContent.trim() ? ' \u00b7 ' + c.textContent.trim() : ''); }\n  function shareUrl(ch, placement){ return pageUrl() + '?utm_source=share&utm_medium=' + ch + '&utm_campaign=' + SECTION + '&utm_content=sheet_' + placement; }\n  function track(ch, placement, extra){\n    window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\n    var ev = { event:'share', share_channel:ch, share_variant:'sheet', share_placement:placement, page_section:SECTION, content_id:slug() };\n    if (extra) for (var k in extra) ev[k]=extra[k];\n    window.dataLayer.push(ev);\n  }\n  var CH = [\n    ['whatsapp','WhatsApp','mfsh-i-wa',''],\n    ['x','X','mfsh-i-x',''],\n    ['facebook','Facebook','mfsh-i-fb',''],\n    ['linkedin','LinkedIn','mfsh-i-li',''],\n    ['reddit','Reddit','mfsh-i-rd','r\/aviation, r\/WarplanePorn'],\n    ['telegram','Telegram','mfsh-i-tg',''],\n    ['email','Email','mfsh-i-mail',''],\n    ['copy','Copy link','mfsh-i-link',''],\n    ['native','More','mfsh-i-more','Instagram, Signal, AirDrop']\n  ];\n  var overlay, toastEl, toastT, placement = 'top';\n  function build(){\n    overlay = document.createElement('div'); overlay.className = 'mfsh-overlay'; overlay.setAttribute('role','dialog'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-modal','true'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-label','Share');\n    var img = meta('og:image');\n    var items = CH.filter(function(c){ return c[0] !== 'native' || !!navigator.share; }).map(function(c){\n      return '<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-item\" data-mfsh-ch=\"'+c[0]+'\"><svg><use href=\"#'+c[2]+'\"\/><\/svg>'+c[1]+(c[3]?'<small>'+c[3]+'<\/small>':'')+'<\/button>';\n    }).join('');\n    overlay.innerHTML = '<div class=\"mfsh-sheet\"><div class=\"mfsh-head\"><strong><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share<\/strong><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-close\" aria-label=\"Close\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-close\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-preview\">' + (img ? '<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"'+img+'\" alt=\"\">' : '<span><\/span>') + '<div><div class=\"mfsh-kicker\">'+kicker()+'<\/div><span class=\"mfsh-title\">'+pageTitle()+'<\/span><\/div><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-list\">'+items+'<\/div><\/div>';\n    document.body.appendChild(overlay);\n    toastEl = document.createElement('div'); toastEl.className = 'mfsh-toast'; document.body.appendChild(toastEl);\n    overlay.addEventListener('click', function(e){\n      if (e.target === overlay || e.target.closest('.mfsh-close')) { close(); return; }\n      var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-item'); if (b) act(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-ch'), b);\n    });\n    document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e){ if (e.key === 'Escape') close(); });\n  }\n  function open(p){ placement = p || 'top'; if (!overlay) build(); overlay.classList.add('mfsh-open'); track('open', placement); }\n  function close(){ if (overlay) overlay.classList.remove('mfsh-open'); }\n  function toast(m){ toastEl.textContent = m; toastEl.classList.add('mfsh-show'); clearTimeout(toastT); toastT = setTimeout(function(){ toastEl.classList.remove('mfsh-show'); }, 1600); }\n  function act(ch, btn){\n    var url = shareUrl(ch, placement), t = pageTitle(), enc = encodeURIComponent;\n    if (ch === 'copy') {\n      var done = function(){ toast('Link copied'); btn.classList.add('mfsh-done'); setTimeout(function(){ btn.classList.remove('mfsh-done'); close(); }, 900); };\n      track(ch, placement);\n      if (navigator.clipboard && navigator.clipboard.writeText) navigator.clipboard.writeText(url).then(done, done); else done();\n      return;\n    }\n    if (ch === 'native') {\n      track(ch, placement, { share_result:'opened' });\n      navigator.share({ title:t, text:t, url:url }).then(function(){ track('native', placement, { share_result:'completed' }); close(); }).catch(function(){});\n      return;\n    }\n    var target = {\n      whatsapp: 'https:\/\/api.whatsapp.com\/send?text=' + enc(t + ' ' + url),\n      x:        'https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=' + enc(t) + '&url=' + enc(url) + '&via=MiGFlug',\n      facebook: 'https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=' + enc(url),\n      linkedin: 'https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=' + enc(url),\n      reddit:   'https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=' + enc(url) + '&title=' + enc(t),\n      telegram: 'https:\/\/t.me\/share\/url?url=' + enc(url) + '&text=' + enc(t),\n      email:    'mailto:?subject=' + enc(t) + '&body=' + enc('Thought you would like this, from Afterburner, MiGFlug\\'s magazine:\\n' + t + '\\n' + url)\n    }[ch];\n    track(ch, placement);\n    if (target) { if (ch === 'email') location.href = target; else window.open(target, '_blank', 'noopener,width=680,height=560'); }\n    close();\n  }\n  var mq = window.matchMedia('(min-width:981px)');\n  function place(){\n    var t = document.querySelector('.mfsh-trigger[data-mfsh-placement=\"top\"]'), slot = document.querySelector('.mfsh-top-slot');\n    var meta = [].slice.call(document.querySelectorAll('.et_pb_title_meta_container, .et_post_meta_wrapper .post-meta, .single .post-meta')).filter(function(m){ return m.offsetParent !== null; })[0];\n    if (!t || !slot) return;\n    if (meta && mq.matches) { meta.classList.add('mfsh-meta'); t.classList.add('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== meta) meta.appendChild(t); var a = meta.querySelector('a'); if (a) { var pr = document.createElement('span'); pr.style.cssText = 'display:inline-block;width:0;height:0;vertical-align:baseline'; a.appendChild(pr); var base = pr.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; pr.remove(); var fs = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(a).fontSize) || 14, mb = meta.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; t.style.bottom = Math.max(0, mb - (base + fs * 0.12)) + 'px'; } }\n    else { t.classList.remove('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== slot) slot.appendChild(t); }\n  }\n  if (document.readyState === 'loading') document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', place); else place(); window.addEventListener('load', place); if (document.fonts && document.fonts.ready) document.fonts.ready.then(place); window.addEventListener('resize', place);\n  if (mq.addEventListener) mq.addEventListener('change', place); else mq.addListener(place);\n  document.addEventListener('click', function(e){ var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-trigger'); if (b) { e.preventDefault(); open(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-placement') || 'top'); } });\n})();\n<\/script><!-- \/mfsh:top -->\n\n<p>This summer, a grey helicopter with no crew on board lifted off from Michael Army Airfield at Dugway Proving Ground in the Utah desert. Not long before, aircraft like it were being packed off to the boneyard in Arizona. Now it flies for the US Army as a sensor testbed, while the Navy that bought it retires the type.<\/p>\n\n<p>The aircraft is a Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout, the unmanned helicopter built on a Bell 407 airframe to give Littoral Combat Ships their own eyes over the horizon. On 22 October 2026, the Navy's Multi-Mission Tactical UAS program office, PMA-266, announced that four retiring MQ-8C Fire Scout aircraft had been handed to the Army's Redstone Test Center to fly as sensor testbeds.<\/p>\n\n<p>The Army gets a ready-made unmanned flying laboratory. The Navy says the deal saves just over 70 million dollars in procurement costs alone. And the Fire Scout, a programme the Army walked away from in 2010, ends up back in Army hands.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border:1px solid #e2e7ee;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 26px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px\"><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Aircraft:<\/strong> Four Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopters<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Also transferred:<\/strong> Two Mobile Mission Control Systems, spare engines and support equipment<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>From:<\/strong> US Navy, PMA-266 Multi-Mission Tactical UAS program office<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>To:<\/strong> US Army Redstone Test Center (part of ATEC), Redstone Arsenal, Alabama<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Role:<\/strong> Captive-carry testbeds for Army sensor packages<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Savings:<\/strong> Just over 70 million dollars in procurement, according to the Navy<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Flight tests:<\/strong> Began August 2026 at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, and Redstone Arsenal<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Navy retirement:<\/strong> MQ-8C sundown planned by the end of fiscal year 2026<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">From the boneyard queue to Redstone<\/h2>\n\n<p>The Navy began divesting the MQ-8C in February 2024 at the direction of OPNAV N98, its air warfare directorate. By November 2024, when Redstone Test Center asked whether the Fire Scout could serve as a captive-carry testbed, PMA-266 was about 60 percent of the way through shipping aircraft, control systems and support equipment to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group in Tucson, Arizona.<\/p>\n\n<p>In December 2024, Army and Navy teams went to Point Mugu, California, to look over the aircraft and their mission control systems. The Army filed its formal request in January 2025: four aircraft, two Mobile Mission Control Systems, spare engines and the support equipment needed to keep them flying. OPNAV N98 approved it in May 2025, and the hardware arrived at Redstone Arsenal in July 2025.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 6px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5ClznOIb2EQ\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Megaprojects on the history of the MQ-8 Fire Scout, from the Schweizer-based MQ-8B to the Bell 407-based MQ-8C.<\/p>\n\n<p>Then came a snag that anyone who has worked in military logistics will recognise. The aircraft were there, but the communications security equipment was not. Radios, transponders and modems had been returned to NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support for common stock during the divestment, and PMA-266 had to work with NAVSUP to recover them.<\/p>\n\n<p>The last of that equipment reached Redstone Arsenal in July 2026. About a month later, Redstone Test Center finished ground testing and began flight tests at Dugway and at Redstone Arsenal itself.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;Repurposing these MQ-8C assets from storage to active testing is a major acquisition win for both services.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Col. Leigh Irwin<\/strong> &mdash; PMA-266 program manager, US Navy, October 2026<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What a captive-carry testbed does<\/h2>\n\n<p>Captive carry means a sensor is bolted to an aircraft and flown, but never released. For an Army developing new reconnaissance and targeting sensors, that is exactly what is needed: a stable, repeatable platform that can fly realistic profiles while engineers collect data.<\/p>\n\n<p>Redstone Test Center is the Army's developmental test organisation for aviation, missiles and sensors. It stood up at Redstone Arsenal in October 2010, after the 2005 base realignment round merged the Aviation Technical Test Center from Fort Rucker with the Redstone Technical Test Center, and it now employs about 1,100 military, civilian and contract staff.<\/p>\n\n<p>Most of its budget comes from the customers it tests for, chiefly the Army's aviation and missile programme offices. For an organisation funded that way, a ready-made unmanned helicopter that did not have to be bought, built or certified from scratch is a real saving, and one that its customers ultimately feel.<\/p>\n\n<p>The MQ-8C suits the job. It was designed to carry electro-optical and infrared turrets, a laser designator and the Leonardo AN\/ZPY-8 Osprey radar, and NAVAIR quotes an endurance of up to 12 hours on station depending on payload. Because it is unmanned, testers can fly long, dull or risky profiles without putting a crew in the cockpit.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life-img1.jpg\" alt=\"MQ-8C Fire Scout with its nose sensor turret hovering at Dugway Proving Ground\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An MQ-8C during its first Army flights out of Michael Army Airfield at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The nose turret position is where test sensors can be carried. Image: Noah Ward\/U.S. Army Redstone Test Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>The Navy says the savings go beyond the 70 million dollars in avoided procurement. It also cites lower costs in research, development, test and evaluation, flight hours, data collection, contracts, sourcing of equipment and manpower. Those secondary figures were not quantified.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;Considering where we started &ndash; having zero experience with these systems &ndash; it's quite remarkable what has been accomplished.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>CW4 Taylor Kiel<\/strong> &mdash; test director and experimental test pilot, Redstone Test Center Aviation Flight Test Directorate, October 2026<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">A Fire Scout family history<\/h2>\n\n<p>The Fire Scout name goes back to 2000, when a Teledyne Ryan and Schweizer team won the Navy's competition for a ship-based unmanned helicopter. The RQ-8A was derived from Schweizer's small three-seat 330SP helicopter. The Navy cut production funding in December 2001, and it was the Army that kept the programme alive, ordering seven RQ-8B evaluation aircraft in late 2003.<\/p>\n\n<p>The type was redesignated MQ-8B in 2006. In January 2010 the Army ended its involvement, saying its RQ-7 Shadow could meet its needs. The Navy carried on alone, and the MQ-8B went to sea: aboard the frigate USS McInerney from 2009, where in April 2010 a Fire Scout spotted a cocaine-smuggling boat in the Eastern Pacific.<\/p>\n\n<p>The MQ-8B also saw combat. Fire Scouts flew from USS Halyburton during the 2011 Libya intervention, and one was shot down over Libya on 21 June 2011. Three deployed to northern Afghanistan in May 2011 for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and logged 5,084 flight hours in 28 months before the mission ended in late 2013. The Navy retired the MQ-8B in October 2022.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 6px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7WW1s9Nqyd8\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Northrop Grumman footage of the first flight of the MQ-8C Fire Scout in 2013.<\/p>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The bigger, Bell-based MQ-8C<\/h2>\n\n<p>The MQ-8C started as Fire-X, a Bell 407 fitted with MQ-8B autonomous controls, which Northrop Grumman announced in May 2010 and flew in December that year at Yuma Proving Ground. The first production-standard MQ-8C flew on 31 October 2013 at Naval Base Ventura County, a seven-minute autonomous flight.<\/p>\n\n<p>It reached initial operational capability in June 2019. The Navy procured 38 of them, mainly to fly from Littoral Combat Ships, where the single-engine Bell airframe offered more payload and endurance than the Schweizer-based MQ-8B. The first operational deployment began on 14 December 2021 aboard USS Milwaukee, with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life-img2.jpg\" alt=\"MQ-8C Fire Scout flying alongside the Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An MQ-8C Fire Scout near USS Coronado (LCS 4), the class of ship it was bought to serve. Image: U.S. Navy\/MC2 Jacob I. Allison<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>But the Littoral Combat Ship programme shrank, and the Fire Scout shrank with it. By January 2023 only ten MQ-8Cs were in operational use and the rest were in storage. In April 2024, Aviation Week reported that the Navy would remove the remaining aircraft from operational service and retire the type by the end of fiscal year 2026.<\/p>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why the deal matters<\/h2>\n\n<p>Repurposing retired hardware is not glamorous, but it is how test budgets stretch. A testbed that already exists, with its ground stations, spares and data links, saves the Army years of procurement and certification work for a platform whose only job is to carry someone else's sensor.<\/p>\n\n<p>It also shows something rarer in defence acquisition: two services moving equipment between them in about 21 months from first request to first flight, including a detour to recover communications gear that had already been returned to stock. The Navy, for its part, says the transition and start of flight tests took 14 months.<\/p>\n\n<p>For the four MQ-8Cs at Redstone, the second career is less exciting than hunting submarines from a warship. It may last longer. Every sensor the Army fields in the next few years could have flown first under a retired Navy Fire Scout.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 6px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/b0NXbHJpRIM\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Northrop Grumman on the MQ-8C Fire Scout's first operational deployment with the US Navy aboard USS Milwaukee.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Sources: US Navy PMA-266 \/ NAVAIR (press release via MilitarySpot and DVIDS), US Army Redstone Test Center, Interesting Engineering, The Aviationist, Naval News, Aviation Week, Wikipedia (MQ-8 Fire Scout, MQ-8C Fire Scout, US Army Redstone Test Center)<\/em><\/p>\n\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What is the MQ-8C Fire Scout?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The MQ-8C Fire Scout is a Northrop Grumman unmanned helicopter built on the commercial Bell 407 airframe. It first flew in 2013, reached initial operational capability in June 2019 and flew mainly from US Navy Littoral Combat Ships, carrying electro-optical and infrared sensors, a laser designator and the Leonardo AN\/ZPY-8 Osprey radar.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why did the US Army get MQ-8C Fire Scout helicopters?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The US Army's Redstone Test Center wanted a captive-carry testbed for new sensor packages. The Navy was retiring the MQ-8C, so it transferred four aircraft, two Mobile Mission Control Systems, spare engines and support equipment. The Navy says the deal saves the Army just over 70 million dollars in procurement costs.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Where are the Army's MQ-8C Fire Scouts being tested?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Army's MQ-8C Fire Scouts belong to the Redstone Test Center at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, part of Army Test and Evaluation Command. After ground testing finished in August 2026, flight tests began at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, flying from Michael Army Airfield, and at Redstone Arsenal itself.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is a captive-carry testbed?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A captive-carry testbed is an aircraft that carries a sensor or payload that stays attached throughout the flight and is never released. Engineers use it to collect data on how new sensors perform in realistic flight conditions. The Army's MQ-8C Fire Scouts now fly in this role for Army reconnaissance and targeting sensors.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When did the Navy retire the MQ-8C Fire Scout?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The US Navy began divesting the MQ-8C Fire Scout in February 2024 and removed it from operational service later that year. Final retirement was planned by the end of fiscal year 2026. The Navy procured 38 MQ-8Cs, but by January 2023 only ten were in operational use and the rest were in storage.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is the difference between the MQ-8B and the MQ-8C Fire Scout?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The MQ-8B Fire Scout was derived from the small Schweizer 330SP helicopter and served from 2009 until October 2022, including deployments to Libya and Afghanistan. The MQ-8C Fire Scout is larger, built on the Bell 407 airframe with MQ-8B avionics, and offers more payload and endurance for ship-based surveillance.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the MQ-8C Fire Scout?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MQ-8C Fire Scout is a Northrop Grumman unmanned helicopter built on the commercial Bell 407 airframe. It first flew in 2013, reached initial operational capability in June 2019 and flew mainly from US Navy Littoral Combat Ships, carrying electro-optical and infrared sensors, a laser designator and the Leonardo AN\/ZPY-8 Osprey radar.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why did the US Army get MQ-8C Fire Scout helicopters?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The US Army's Redstone Test Center wanted a captive-carry testbed for new sensor packages. The Navy was retiring the MQ-8C, so it transferred four aircraft, two Mobile Mission Control Systems, spare engines and support equipment. The Navy says the deal saves the Army just over 70 million dollars in procurement costs.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Where are the Army's MQ-8C Fire Scouts being tested?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Army's MQ-8C Fire Scouts belong to the Redstone Test Center at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, part of Army Test and Evaluation Command. After ground testing finished in August 2026, flight tests began at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, flying from Michael Army Airfield, and at Redstone Arsenal itself.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is a captive-carry testbed?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A captive-carry testbed is an aircraft that carries a sensor or payload that stays attached throughout the flight and is never released. Engineers use it to collect data on how new sensors perform in realistic flight conditions. The Army's MQ-8C Fire Scouts now fly in this role for Army reconnaissance and targeting sensors.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When did the Navy retire the MQ-8C Fire Scout?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The US Navy began divesting the MQ-8C Fire Scout in February 2024 and removed it from operational service later that year. Final retirement was planned by the end of fiscal year 2026. The Navy procured 38 MQ-8Cs, but by January 2023 only ten were in operational use and the rest were in storage.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the difference between the MQ-8B and the MQ-8C Fire Scout?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MQ-8B Fire Scout was derived from the small Schweizer 330SP helicopter and served from 2009 until October 2022, including deployments to Libya and Afghanistan. The MQ-8C Fire Scout is larger, built on the Bell 407 airframe with MQ-8B avionics, and offers more payload and endurance for ship-based surveillance.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/ht-100-naval-angola-six-anavia-unmanned-helicopters-edge-2026\/\">HT-100 NAVAL: Angola Gets Six Swiss-Built Robot Helicopters<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/global-hawk-vs-mq-4c-triton-why-the-navy-built-its-own\/\">Global Hawk and Triton: Why the Navy Built Its Own<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-25a-stingray-second-navy-airframe-midamerica-final-assembly-2026\/\">MQ-25 Stingray: Second Navy Jet Trucked to MidAmerica for Final Assembly<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-1-predator-flying-again-gray-eagle-confusion-iran-shootdown-2026\/\">Is the MQ-1 Predator Flying Again? The Drone That Refuses to Stay Retired<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Share this story This summer, a grey helicopter with no crew on board lifted off from Michael Army Airfield at Dugway Proving Ground in the Utah desert. Not long before, aircraft like it were being packed off to the boneyard in Arizona. Now it flies for the US Army as a sensor testbed, while the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":30106234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30145301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>MQ-8C Fire Scout Gets a Second Life With the Army | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Four retiring Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout drones now fly as Army sensor testbeds at Redstone, saving over $70 million. The deal and the Fire Scout&#039;s history.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MQ-8C Fire Scout Gets a Second Life With the Army | MiGFlug\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Four retiring Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout drones now fly as Army sensor testbeds at Redstone, saving over $70 million. The deal and the Fire Scout&#039;s history.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-29T13:31:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-29T13:32:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joseph Duncan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joseph Duncan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Joseph Duncan\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85\"},\"headline\":\"MQ-8C Fire Scout: Retired Navy Drones Get a Second Life With the Army\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-29T13:31:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-29T13:32:14+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1853,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Military Aviation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/\",\"name\":\"MQ-8C Fire Scout Gets a Second Life With the Army | MiGFlug\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-29T13:31:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-29T13:32:14+00:00\",\"description\":\"Four retiring Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout drones now fly as Army sensor testbeds at Redstone, saving over $70 million. The deal and the Fire Scout's history.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":900,\"caption\":\"MQ-8C Fire Scout hovering at Dugway Proving Ground during US Army test flights\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"MQ-8C Fire Scout: Retired Navy Drones Get a Second Life With the Army\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"name\":\"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"width\":897,\"height\":278,\"caption\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/MiGFlug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/migflug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/migflug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MiGFlug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/migflug.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ch\\\/migflug\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85\",\"name\":\"Joseph Duncan\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Joseph Duncan\"},\"description\":\"Joseph Duncan covers breaking defence news \u2014 fast, sharp dispatches on the Pentagon, procurement and the world\u2019s air forces.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/author\\\/josephduncan\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"MQ-8C Fire Scout Gets a Second Life With the Army | MiGFlug","description":"Four retiring Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout drones now fly as Army sensor testbeds at Redstone, saving over $70 million. The deal and the Fire Scout's history.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"MQ-8C Fire Scout Gets a Second Life With the Army | MiGFlug","og_description":"Four retiring Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout drones now fly as Army sensor testbeds at Redstone, saving over $70 million. The deal and the Fire Scout's history.","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/","og_site_name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","article_published_time":"2026-10-29T13:31:54+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-29T13:32:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":900,"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Joseph Duncan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@migflug","twitter_site":"@migflug","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joseph Duncan","Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/"},"author":{"name":"Joseph Duncan","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85"},"headline":"MQ-8C Fire Scout: Retired Navy Drones Get a Second Life With the Army","datePublished":"2026-10-29T13:31:54+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-29T13:32:14+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/"},"wordCount":1853,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg","articleSection":["Military Aviation"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/","name":"MQ-8C Fire Scout Gets a Second Life With the Army | MiGFlug","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg","datePublished":"2026-10-29T13:31:54+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-29T13:32:14+00:00","description":"Four retiring Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout drones now fly as Army sensor testbeds at Redstone, saving over $70 million. The deal and the Fire Scout's history.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/FEATURED-mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life.jpg","width":1600,"height":900,"caption":"MQ-8C Fire Scout hovering at Dugway Proving Ground during US Army test flights"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-8c-fire-scout-us-army-redstone-test-center-second-life\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"MQ-8C Fire Scout: Retired Navy Drones Get a Second Life With the Army"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","description":"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization","name":"MiGFlug GmbH","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","width":897,"height":278,"caption":"MiGFlug GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","https:\/\/x.com\/migflug","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/migflug\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MiGFlug","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/migflug.com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ch\/migflug\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/b969321b26faa21775f0c40e141cdf85","name":"Joseph Duncan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cd6d4cc4c63e8c05a1f5db9308c285d6dd9753e6d076a39f8c5ed9a7d9f7c523?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Joseph Duncan"},"description":"Joseph Duncan covers breaking defence news \u2014 fast, sharp dispatches on the Pentagon, procurement and the world\u2019s air forces.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/author\/josephduncan\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30145301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30145301"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30145301\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30145382,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30145301\/revisions\/30145382"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30106234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30145301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30145301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30145301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}