Army and Navy Repurpose MQ-8C Fire Scouts for Sensor Testing

The U.S. Army and U.S. Navy are using four Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout aircraft as a testbed for Army sensor packages. The effort is led by the Navy’s Multi-Mission Tactical UAS Program Office (PMA-266) and gives the aircraft a new role after its planned divestment timeline. The U.S. Army Redstone Test Center (RTC) acquired the four aircraft in July 2025 for developmental test and evaluation. This is an established testing activity, not a newly announced solicitation or award opportunity.

The partnership began in November 2024, when PMA-266 received a request to assess whether the MQ-8C could serve as a captive-carry testbed for RTC’s sensor packages. After a December 2024 site visit to Point Mugu, California, to evaluate the aircraft and its mission-control systems, RTC submitted a formal request in January 2025 to the Air Warfare Division (N98) of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV). The request covered four aircraft, two Mobile Mission Control Systems (MMCSs), spare engines, and associated support equipment for site standup at Redstone Arsenal.

The operational rationale is tied to the MQ-8C’s endurance and suitability for sensor work. RTC public affairs officer Christy Barnett told Janes that, “With its extended flight endurance, the MQ-8C offers specialized capabilities for tracking Group 4 Unmanned Aircraft Systems [UAS] across complex backgrounds.” That mission profile could make the aircraft useful for developmental evaluation of Army sensors in demanding conditions. For industry, the activity points to potential requirements in sensor integration, aircraft modifications, flight-test and evaluation support, mission-control systems, engines, and sustainment equipment—though the source does not identify a procurement vehicle, funding amount, or planned competition.

The test activity also changes the near-term outlook for a platform previously slated to begin divestment in February 2024, with its final sundown scheduled for the end of fiscal year 2026. Continued use for Army testing may sustain demand for selected support capabilities even as the Navy’s broader platform retirement proceeds. Companies should treat the reported acquisition as background on an ongoing interservice activity, monitor Army and Navy acquisition notices for follow-on needs, and avoid interpreting the reported equipment list as an open request for proposals.

• RTC acquired four MQ-8C Fire Scout aircraft in July 2025 for Army developmental test and evaluation.
• The Navy’s PMA-266 spearheaded the Army-Navy partnership to repurpose the aircraft for sensor-package testing.
• The partnership originated in November 2024 with an assessment of the MQ-8C as a captive-carry testbed.
• RTC’s January 2025 request to OPNAV N98 covered four aircraft and related test-site support.
• The requested support included two Mobile Mission Control Systems, spare engines, and associated equipment for standup at Redstone Arsenal.
• A December 2024 site visit at Point Mugu, California, evaluated the aircraft and its mission-control systems.
• RTC cited extended flight endurance and the ability to track Group 4 UAS across complex backgrounds as relevant capabilities.
• The aircraft had been scheduled to begin divestment in February 2024, with final sundown planned for the end of FY 2026.
• Potential industry areas include sensor integration, flight-test support, mission-control systems, spare engines, and sustainment; no solicitation, contract value, or procurement contact is reported.
• Contractors should monitor relevant Army and Navy notices, but treat the four-aircraft acquisition as an existing test activity rather than an open procurement.