PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC
Northrop Grumman's venerable BQM-34 Firebee high-speed target drone is enjoying a second lease of life as an autonomous unmanned air vehicle, thanks to the Iraq war.
Five BQM-34-53s were deployed to the Middle East for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and used during the outset of the air campaign to fly over Baghdad and dropchaff.
Northrop Grumman completed modifications to the ex-US Air Force target drones in just 17 days. The work focused on adjusting software to enable the vehicle to fly to waypoints fully autonomously. Three were modified for launch from equally old US Navy Lockheed Martin DC-130As, supplementing two ground-launched Firebees and providing flexible coverage.
The Firebee, which dates to the 1950s, has in the past carried a variety of underwing payloads, including fuel tanks and Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick missiles. The catalyst for the chaff mission was a demonstration late last year of the Firebee's ability to carry large underwing canisters.
The demonstration is thought to have been part of a US Special Operations Command-funded study into remote delivery of supplies and equipment to special forces. The modification focused on providing the vehicle with UAV-type autonomous flight controls. The Firebee was also equipped with the now retired BQM-34L's enlarged wing.
Meanwhile, the retiring commander of US Central Command, Gen Tommy Franks, has told the US Senate Armed Services committee that the Department of Defense is looking at equipping the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance UAV with a laser designator and precision-guided weapon. This is the result of experience using the RQ-4 for extended periods over Afghanistan and Iraq.
Source: Flight International
