Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has successfully performed an engine run of the first U.S. Army MQ-8B Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the Class IV Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) in the Army’s Future Combat Systems (FCS), at the company’s Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.

“The engine run is a significant milestone for the FCS program. It marks completion of final assembly of the initial manufacturing phase of the first Army Fire Scout,” said Joe Emerson, Northrop Grumman’s FCS Fire Scout program manager. “We’ve been diligent in tracking our costs and meeting milestones such as this, which validates our commitment to quality, technical excellence, cost and delivery. We’re definitely looking forward to fielding this aircraft.”

The FCS Fire Scout has now completed the initial assembly process and will await delivery of mission avionics and sensors.

The MQ-8B Fire Scout has been flying under a Navy contract since December 2006, but this marked the first time aircraft operations were conducted at the Moss Point site. The engine run team consisted of Northrop Grumman employees and experienced flight test personnel from Moss Point, Miss., San Diego and Lexington Park, Md.

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