NORFOLK, Va. — The MQ-8C Firescout is the latest addition to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22's flying arsenal. It just arrived this week.
The $18 million unmanned helicopter's mission is to provide targeting and surveillance data - all without putting a pilot in danger.
"It is a massive expansion of our mission capability and it's not news that unmanned aviation is a real growth area for the Navy and Naval aviation," said CDR Matt Wright, HSC 22's commanding officer. "We're at the cutting edge and proud of it."
The 34-foot-long, 6,000 pound rotary aircraft can stay aloft for up to 15 hours at a time, and, has autonomous takeoff and landing capability.
Pilot Ryan Jaenke never thought he'd pull double duty, and also be an unmanned vehicle operator.
"I'd heard the the military was utilizing the UAV's but I didn't anticipate it being a part of my occupation," he said. "It is cool being on the cutting edge, utilizing these systems and implementing them in the real world before anyone else on the East Coast really."
Aviation Mechanic Chief Cody Traitz agreed.
"Sixteen years, I've only worked with manned helicopters," she said. "This time, it's going to be an unmanned helicopter from a remote control station.It's going to be pretty great to have all these out there."