The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps trained with rotary-wing aircraft to develop manned-unmanned teaming tactics at Naval Air Facility El Centro in California on March 10.
During the event, sailors and marines used an unmanned MQ-8C Fire Scout to locate targets and manned UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper choppers to conduct effective fires, the Marine Corps said Tuesday.
The event, joined by Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One and the Navy’s Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23, aimed toward advancing the integration of USMC manned and unmanned helicopters with naval ships for littoral missions.
It also falls in line with the maned-unmanned teaming concepts outlined in the 2018 National Defense Strategy and the Commandant’s Planning Guide.
‘This opportunity promotes greater familiarization and concept development of the manned-unmanned teaming that builds confidence and efficiency throughout the Blue-Green Team,” explained Col. Byron Sullivan, commanding officer of VMX-1.
