An MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the USS Charleston (LCS-18) after taking off from the ship on April 27, the Navy announced. The UAV was operating from the ship around 9:40 a.m. when the collision happened in the Western Pacific, according to a 3rd Fleet news release. The UAV fell into the sea and was not recovered. “The mishap damaged a safety net on the ship and struck the hull. Damage to the ship is being assessed, but appears limited to an area above the waterline.” No one was injured, and the ship continued to operate after the event. The MQ-8B Fire Scout is assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, based out of Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., and operates as part of a manned-unmanned team of Fire Scouts and MH-60s as part of the LCS surface warfare mission package. USS Charleston, on its maiden voyage, was operating on its way to Guam when the Fire Scout mishap occurred. The Independence-variant littoral combat ship was built at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala. (Source: USNI News 04/27/21) MQ-8B Fire Scout Crashes Into Littoral Combat Ship USS Charleston On Deployment - USNI News
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