U.S. Guided-Missile Frigate Makes First Full Deployment with Own UAV Capability

USS SIMPSON, Gulf of Guinea | The guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56) has the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), MQ-8B Fire Scout embarked for solo missions, a U.S. Navy first during a full deployment, Mar. 7. The Fire Scout is the Navy’s only unmanned aircraft to operate on land and at sea. The Fire Scout is a vertical take-off and landing UAV capable of carrying out surveillance, tracking and targeting missions. Lt. Cmdr. Darren Capo is the officer-in-charge of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light Six Zero (HSL-60), the “Jaguars”, the detachment embarked on Simpson that maintains and flies the Fire Scout. “There are benefits to flying from inside a ship,” said Lt. Cmdr. Capo, who’s previously flown the SH-60B Sea Hawk helicopter, about taking on his latest assignment. Flying the Fire Scout has been a completely new experience, especially physically. “When you’re done, your ears don’t ring from noise and vibration and you’re not soaked in sweat like you are after flying a long helicopter mission,” said Lt. Cmdr. Capo. Two people operate the Fire Scout during flight, an Air Vehicle Operator (AVO) and a Mission Payload Operator (MPO). Both the AVO and MPO sit at control stations next to each […]
U.S. Guided-Missile Frigate Makes First Full Deployment with Own UAV Capability