Boeing flies EMARSS prototype

Oct 23, 2012 by Dave Majumdar – FG

Washington DC - Boeing has test flown a prototype for the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMARSS) reconnaissance aircraft it is developing for the US Army. Called the Risk Reduction Prototype (ERRP), the modified Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350ER flew for 70 minutes on 6 October.

The prototype will be used to acquire a supplemental type certification from Federal Aviation Administration for the aircraft.

"That FAA certification supports the airworthiness release to be issued by the Army Engineering Directorate for EMARSS," says Randy Price, Boeing's EMARSS programme manager. "We can focus subsequent testing of the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) aircraft on the mission systems capabilities and operational aspects and qualification of the platform."

Boeing is contacted to deliver four developmental test aircraft to the US Army along with two low rate initial production machines. That is in addition to the prototype.