{"id":21878,"date":"2023-08-21T15:13:29","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T15:13:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2023\/08\/21\/manned-marine-helicopter-refuels-unmanned-helo-for-1st-time\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T21:11:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T21:11:30","slug":"manned-marine-helicopter-refuels-unmanned-helo-for-1st-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2023\/08\/21\/manned-marine-helicopter-refuels-unmanned-helo-for-1st-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Manned Marine helicopter refuels unmanned helo for 1st time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Marines delivered fuel <\/a>from a traditional crewed helicopter to an uncrewed autonomous helicopter <\/a>in July for the first time in the history of the Marine Corps or Navy, according to the Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During an exercise at Twentynine Palms, California, a Marine heavy-lift CH-53E Super Stallion<\/a> provided fuel to an unmanned Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout,<\/a> as a way to extend the range of the latter aircraft, the Marine Corps said in a Thursday Marine Corps story. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On July 31, the hefty Super Stallion transferred approximately 700 pounds of fuel to the Fire Scout, just under the uncrewed aircraft\u2019s maximum payload, according to the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Super Stallion can afford to hand off that amount of fuel: Its maximum fuel payload is 23,450 pounds. That means the Super Stallion can refuel the Fire Scout multiple times in hard-to-reach areas, keeping the Fire Scout going over longer distances and periods of time, according to the release.<\/p>\n\n\n\t