In 2011, as Libya's skies filled with the chaos of civil war, a different kind of observer hovered above. It was not a manned aircraft, nor a regular UAV, but an unmanned stateoftheart Vertical Takeoff Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

Deployed by the US Navy, this autonomous helicopter engineered by Northrop Grumman was on a reconnaissance mission, far from the front lines and unknown to those below. That is, until chaos caught up with it.
Mistaken for a lethal Apache gunship, a rocketpropelled grenade struck down the Fire Scout, its remnants landing 85 miles east of Tripoli. Libyan State TV immediately broadcast images of the wreckage, claiming a rebel Apache was destroyed.

However, analysis of the debris soon told a different story. The distinct markings and unique shape revealed its true identity: an MQ8 Fire Scout drone helicopter. Rumors swiftly spread about its mission, potential armament, and, more importantly, the power it would wield from Africa to the far reaches of Afghanistan as the US’s new rotary wing UAV.



Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, topsecret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.

As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.

All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.