Bell Fire-X

Launched in 2010, the Fire-X was a Vertical Unmanned air System ( VUAS ) developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation and Bell Helicopter. Based on a Bell 407 airframe integrated with Northrop Grumman Fire Scout autonomous systems developed for the US Navy.

On August 2011 was revealed a US Navy notice of intent to buy 28 as the MQ-8C planned for initial deployment around 2014

Fire-X News

Fire-X Completes First Unmanned Flight, 16-Dec-10 : SAN DIEGO – Fire-X, a vertical unmanned air system (VUAS) developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation and Bell Helicopter, a Textron company, completed its first fully autonomous flight Dec. 10 at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., less than one year after development began.

Northrop Grumman & Bell to develop VUAS Fire-X, 03-May-10 : Northrop Grumman and Bell Helicopter will develop a new medium-range Vertical Unmanned System (UAV) based on the Bell 407