"Hunter" UAS With Viper Strike System Will Soon Deploy In Theater

The Hunter Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) designed and built by Northrop Grumman Corporation, which has been in use with the U.S. Army since 1996, has successfully completed testing of the new GPS-guided Viper Strike (VS) weapons system at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The GPS VS will soon deploy to theater on board Hunter in support of contingency operations.

GPS VS aides the weapons guidance by providing proximity based on coordinates while maintaining pinpoint accuracy with laser guidance. While previous VS systems required the Hunter to be directly overhead, GPS VS offers the advantage of nearly six miles of stand-off range. GPS VS can also hone in on both moving and stationary targets.

The MQ-5B Hunter, which is currently deployed in contingency operations, provides warfighters with state-of-the-art reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA), communications relay, signal intelligence, and weapons delivery. Hunter recently surpassed 80,000 flight hours, 53,000 of which are combat-related.

"Once again, Northrop Grumman and the Army have proven just how adaptable Hunter is, which is why we call it the Army's workhorse," said Karl Purdy, Northrop Grumman Technical Services' Hunter program manager. "The addition of this improved smart munition with a proven aerial platform is just one example of Hunter's flexibility and adaptability. We are committed to working shoulder to shoulder with our valued Army customer to continue to provide our nation's warfighters with world-class ISR and signals intelligence."

Hunter MQ-5B

The MQ-5B is a fixed-wing, twin tail-boom design with redundant control systems powered by two heavy fuel engines in an in-line configuration. It is the second generation RQ-5A Hunter, which was the Army's first fielded UAS.

In 'relay mode', Hunter has the capability to allow one Hunter to be controlled by another UAV at extended ranges or over terrain obstacles typical of those found in the Balkans and Afghanistan.

FMI: www.northropgrumman.com