Boeing has test flown a prototype for the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMARSS) aircraft it is developing for the US Army. The risk reduction prototype, a modified Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350ER, was flown for 70min on 6 October.

The prototype will be used to acquire supplemental type certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration for the aircraft.

 EMARSS prototype - Boeing

Boeing

"That FAA certification supports the airworthiness release to be issued by the Army Engineering Directorate for EMARSS," says Randy Price, Boeing's EMARSS programme manager. "We can focus subsequent testing of the engineering and manufacturing development aircraft on the mission systems capabilities and operational aspects and qualification of the platform."

Boeing is contracted to deliver four developmental test aircraft to the US Army, along with two low-rate initial production examples. That is in addition to the prototype.

Source: Flight International