The US Navy is considering equipping its MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with air-to-surface missiles.

According to the Navy Times, the drone will carry either Raytheon’s Griffin or BAE’s advanced precision kill weapon system.

The navy’s Fire Scout programme manager, Captain Patrick Smith, said the aircraft manufacturer, Northrop Grumman, is integrating a Griffin into the UAV and will probably display the system by the end of this month.

In 2005 the navy test fired missiles from the Fire Scout UAV.