Navy announces contract to integrate CCS with MQ-8 Fire Scout

By Justin Katz / May 22, 2020 at 10:05 AM

The Navy announced yesterday it plans to negotiate a contract with Raytheon to integrate the Common Control System with the MQ-8 Fire Scout.

The contract is for testing and engineering support for the MQ-8 Tactical Control System.

"Enhancements to the existing TCS under this contract will include migration to an unmanned air systems control segment (UCS)/Common Control System (CCS) architecture, Command and Control modernization, automated software testing [and] future payload integration," according to the notice.

The contract will also include "engineering trade studies that will support future software development and enhancement, and fleet response activities and capability deficiency packages that will augment baseline software development and enhancement efforts," the notice continued.

The Common Control System is an effort by the Pentagon and Raytheon to simplify command and control for all types of unmanned vehicles. Inside Defense reported earlier this year the program office responsible for CCS is planning MQ-8 flight tests using an early version of the system and has plans for "initial operational fleet introduction in 2021."

During the same interview, Navy Capt. Paul Mitchell, strike planning and execution systems program manager, said his office was working with both the Army and Air Force to further expand the use of CCS throughout the military.

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