Northrop Grumman's RQ-8A Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) System test fires the second of two Mark-66 2.75-inch unguided rockets during weapons testing at Arizona's Yuma Proving Grounds. Fire Scout fired the first 2.75-inch rocket earlier that day. Fire Scout has the ability to autonomously take off and land from any aviation-capable warship and at unprepared landing zones. With an on-station endurance of over four hours, the Fire Scout system is capable of continuous operations, providing coverage at 110 nautical miles from the launch site. Utilizing a baseline payload that includes electro-optical/infrared sensors and a laser rangefinder /designator, Fire Scout can find and identify tactical targets, track and designate targets, accurately provide targeting data to strike platforms, employ precision weapons, and perform battle damage assessment. Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corporation