Class IV UAV

The Class IV UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle UAV intended to provide Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), target acquisition, and aerial communications extension capability at the brigade level for the United States Army's Future Combat Systems program. Other missions include mine and improvised explosive device detection, standoff chemical biological and radiological detection, and electronic intelligence collection. It will be organic to the Reconnaissance Surveillance Target Acquisition Squadron within the FCS brigade combat team, which will consist of troops of manned armed reconnaissance helicopters (ARH) and a separate troop of Class IV UAVs.

At the anticipated time of fielding, the Block III Apache attack helicopter will have the capability to control Class IV UAVs from the Apache cockpit, receive their imagery products, and exploit their remote laser designation capability. This manned-unmanned teaming capability will also be available on later models of the ARH.

The system (composed of 4 air vehicles and associated HMMWV-based ground control and automated launch and recovery systems), is required to operate continuously for 18-24 hours over a 75km radius. Each vehicle is an MQ-8B Fire Scout, capable of 8 hours continuous flight and a payload of 130 pounds (59 kg).

The Navy Fire Scout is intended to fly from the Littoral Combat Ship and shares many common features with the Army-version. Both are based on the Schweizer 333 manned helicopter. The baseline design has proven a highly reliable and effective platform with an extensive operating history. Northrop Grumman Corporation and other subcontractors modify the Schweizer-provided airframe to create the unmanned aircraft version.

References

* [http://www.army.mil/fcs/factfiles/uav4.html Army's FCS Class IV UAV page]