Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout unmanned helicopter successfully sent sensor data to the cockpit display of a manned MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during a 25 Oct. military exercise in Maryland, the company says. The exchange may lead to improvements in the speed at which field commanders can make informed decisions during military operations, according to Northrop Grumman. Before this test, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data gathered by Fire Scout had to be sent to its host ship. The new capability also improves Fire Scout's communications relay function by allowing multiple units to share real-time information to more quickly coordinate action, Northrop Grumman says. During the demonstration, crewmembers aboard a U.S. Coast Guard ship also viewed Fire Scout's sensor data in real time with a remote terminal.
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