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Description |
The Fire-X is a vertical unmanned aircraft designed by the the companies Northrop Grumman Corporation and Bell Helicopter. Currently in development, Fire-X is a fully autonomous, four-blade, single-engine unmanned helicopter. It will carry an array of reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition sensors to support war fighters' demands for enhanced situational awareness. The Fire-X can be used for the battlefield ISR, communications and cargo mission requirements of sea and land forces. In December 2010, Fire-X completed its first fully autonomous flight, at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., less than one year after development began.
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Variants : No variants at this time.
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Design |
The Fire-X system has the rugged airframe of the Bell 407. It is an autonomous VUAS with four blades and a single engine. The unmanned helicopter incorporates the extended payload, range and cargo ferrying capabilities of the Bell 407. It also has the same autonomous control systems as the MQ-8B Fire Scout UAV, also developed by Northrop Grumman. It equips intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors and several communications systems.
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Propulsion |
The Fire-X is equiped with an Rolls-Royce 250-C47B engine with Full Authority Digital Electronic Control. The Fire-x is based on the technology of helicopter Bell 407. The 407 uses the four-blade, soft, in-plane, rigid rotor with composite hub that was developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior instead of the two-bladed, semi-rigid rotor of the 206L-4.
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Combat use |
Like Fire Scout, it will carry an array of reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) sensors to support war fighters’ demands for enhanced situational awareness. Its extended cargo hauling (more than 2,600 lbs (1,200 kg) external), payload (up to 3,000 pounds - 1,350 kg), and endurance (more than 14 hours) capabilities, however, will deliver additional mission flexibility to commanders on the ground. Fire-X can be operated from all future military standards-based control systems including the Navy's tactical control station (TCS) and the US Army's One System ground control station.
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Key features |
• Versatile, fully-autonomous VUAS that integrates mature UAS architecture with commercial, FAA-certified airframe • Combines Fire Scout’s proven ISR capabilities with larger payload, longer endurance, larger cargo capacity • Flexible, field-reconfigurable design supports ISR, cargo and/or specialized communications missions on land and sea • Commonality with manned platforms • Fully integrated operation with multiple control segments (including TCS, Army One System®, and future standards-based systems) • Modular architecture supports rapid integration, test and deployment of advanced payloads (EO/IR, SAR, Communications relay, SIGNT, ELINT, Multi-Int) • Backed by award-winning global logistics, training and customer support team
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Specifications |
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Armament
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No
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Country users
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United States prototype
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Designer Country
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United States
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Accessories
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TCS, Army One System®, and future standards-based systems
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Crew and operator
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicle + 1 ground operator
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Type
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Cargo - Vertical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
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Gross Takeoff Weight
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2,722 kg
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Speed
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133kt
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Max endurance
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14 h a
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Dimensions with rotors
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Lenght, 12.6 m; Width, 2,5 m; Height, 3.1 m
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Pictures / Video |
Back to top |
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Video Fire-X vertical unmanned aircraft helicopter UAV
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