Boeing announced Tuesday that is has completed a series of flight tests of its A160 Hummingbird unmanned helicopter fitted with a foliage-penetrating radar called FORESTER. Overall, there were 20 flights between Aug. 31 and Oct. 8 at Ft. Stewart, Ga., that amassed 53 hours of flying time that validated the A160’s flight characteristics when carrying the UHF-band radar, which is encased in an underbelly pod. “The success of these test flights points to the operational readiness of this important capability,” said Vic Sweberg, Boeing’s director of unmanned airborne systems. DARPA has been sponsoring the development of FORESTER for the Army, but the Air Force Research Lab has also had a role in the radar’s maturation.
Like a new car from the dealership, an HH-60W helicopter touched down at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Nov. 2 with paperwork, a set of keys, and that fresh-from-the-factory smell. The newly activated 5th Helicopter Squadron accepted its first “Whiskey” in a brief but pomp-filled ceremony attended by the Air…