Cpl. Douglas Caceres, an aviation mechanic with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 2,
Lance Cpl. Gregory Dixon, an aviation mechanic with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 2, conducts post-flight inspections on an RQ-7B Shadow___ Sept. 4, 2009, at expeditionary airfield Boston at Camp Dwyer. USMC Photo
The RQ-7 Shadow unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is used by the United States Army and Marine Corps. Launched from a rail, it is recovered with the aid of arresting gear similar to jets on an aircraft carrier. Its gimbal-mounted, digitally-stabilized, liquid nitrogen-cooled electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera relays video in real time via a C-band LOS data link to the ground control station (GCS). The "R" is the Department of Defense designation for reconnaissance; "Q" means unmanned aircraft system. The "7" refers to it being the seventh of a series of purpose-built unmanned reconnaissance aircraft systems.
Nothing about helicopter there...humm.
digging deeper I did find one link that said " RQ-7B Shadow helicopter" however, yes area 52, I was refused accessed yada, yada, doesn't count. Digging into the Marine Corps filed stories on the beast I found
In today’s world of high-speed data gathering, satellites can provide up-to-date information to Marines all over the world. When Marines need intelligence and no satellites are available, the Corps has another tool to obtain information from the sky using unmanned aerial vehicles.
A 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing squadron from Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms spent more than a week honing the skills that provide battlefield awareness to the Marines here.
A detachment of Marines from Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 completed a training evolution which involved working with other units in the region, from July 21 through July 29.
The squadron, known as “Watchdog,” supported units such as: 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion; 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment; 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and squadrons from Marine Aircraft Group 39.
Watchdog used UAV’s to coordinate convoy overwatch and locate targets for aircraft. A 70-Marine team of maintainers, avionics technicians, operators and other personnel got the UAV’s airborne twice each day.
“Our UAV’s are very reliable and we hardly have to perform extensive maintenance,” said Sgt. Andrew D. Aittama, an avionics technician with the squadron. “We’ve mainly been cross-training with the maintainers because it’s so new.”
The squadron operates the RQ-7B Shadow 200, to gather intelligence on the battlefield from thousands of feet in the sky.
NOPE . NOTHING ABOUT HELICOPTERS. HERE. EITHER. ANYMOUSE MAY BE ON TO SOMETHING. I'm going to dig thru Global Security before I edit..there are so many variations....still the damn thing is fixed wing....its late. later. thanks for the comment
nothing from GS
The RQ-7B is not a helicopter, just look at the pictures. It is a fixed-wing aricraft. You might want to edit your story.
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