So, NATO, and likely more specifically the U.S. Navy, lost what appears to be an MQ-8 Firescout unmanned helo over Libya this morning. This marks, as far as we know the major combat debut for the unmanned ISR chopper that's done some work operating off U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf of Mexico.
NATO says the bird was conducting ISR ops to hunt for an monitor Gadhafi's forces who are threatening civilians. Libyan state TV tried to pass the wreckage -- which pretty heavily resembles a Firescout -- off as an Apache attack chopper. Nice try guys.
Who knows where the wreckage will end up. Good thing it wasn't a stealth Black Hawk.
Here's more on the crash.
