NGC-Built Global Hawk Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft Reaches 25,000 Combat Hours

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UNITED STATES - 5 AUGUST 2009

Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) recently reached a major milestone -- 25,000 combat hours -- during an operational sortie July 8-9 from a deployed location.

"This is a significant program achievement, accounting for more than 76 percent of the aircraft's 32,500 cumulative flight hours for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy," said George Guerra, Northrop Grumman vice president of high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) systems. "We have been flying Global Hawks more effectively than any other deployed system and our production team continues to perform exceptionally well, with the 26th production air vehicle in final assembly. At this rate, we'll be on the road to completing initial operational test and evaluation to support a full-rate production decision next year."

First flown in 1998, Global Hawk has logged 1,229 missions so far in support of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) and disaster relief efforts. It has seen service in Operations Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Iraqi Freedom, and in several U.S. and international joint forces exercises. It has also provided support during Hurricane Ike and California wildfires.

In addition, Global Hawk's proven and unique capabilities to fly at high altitudes and cover large areas for long periods of time led the Air Force to recently select the Block 20 configuration for the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN), an airborne communications system that will provide warfighters with critical real-time battlefield information. Tasking under the Joint Urgent Operational Need includes installing BACN on two Block 20 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft, which enable around-the-clock coverage.

"Global Hawk has been a constant companion for our men and women overseas, providing persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for nearly eight years," said Steve Amburgey, Global Hawk program director for the 303d Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. "The system is so robust and reliable that it's in high demand by our warfighters who fly them approximately six to seven days a week, averaging more than 600 hours per month in theater."

As the world's first fully autonomous HALE UAS, Global Hawk can soar at altitudes of more than 60,000 feet for more than 32 hours and send near-real-time reconnaissance imagery to air, ground, and sea forces. It can fly three times as long and operates at a fraction of the cost per flight hour than its manned counterpart. Compared to other similar UAS, it only takes a single Global Hawk to collect the same information as 18 smaller medium-altitude UAS.

To date, 33 Global Hawks have been assembled, including the two for the Navy's Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstration program, seven advanced concept technology demonstration aircraft built under the original development program sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and one Euro Hawk for the German Ministry of Defence.




Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation

 

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Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft Earns an Additional Military Airworthiness Certification
UNITED STATES - 20 NOVEMBER 2009

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) announced the U.S. Air Force has granted the RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) a military Airworthiness Certification (AWC), a significant milestone in the life of the aircraft system and a step on the path to routine unmanned flight within the United States.

The AWC process verifies an aircraft design has met performance requirements within the mission profile to safely fly in national airspace and assures operators and mission managers that the production articles conform to the design. In granting the certification to RQ-4, the next generation of Block 20 and 30 Global Hawk UAS, the U.S. Air Force has recognized the aircraft's ability to routinely fly safely within design parameters. The certification process evaluated more than 600 airworthiness criteria.

"This was a more rigorous and more complete evaluation than that of any other unmanned system," said George Guerra, vice president of HALE systems for Northrop Grumman. "With this historic accomplishment and more than 35,000 total flight hours, most of that time in combat support over the skies of Iraq and Afghanistan, Global Hawk continues to be a trailblazer in UAS certifications and a pathfinder supporting our men and women overseas in combat."

Just as commercial aircraft are certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), military aircraft are evaluated against certain criteria including durability, capability to adjust to sudden changes in aerodynamic forces, and redundancies of systems and subsystems. Without this Air Force certification, the FAA cannot grant permission to fly within the United States, which is the next step in the on-going process to accept the routine flight of unmanned aircraft in the national airspace.

"This certification resulted from a large collaborative effort between the government and the contractor, agreeing on standards and verification methods and ultimately coming together on the assessment of the system. With its Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration legacy design and early push to support Overseas Contingency Operations and U-2 retirement, this was the first comprehensive assessment of the aircraft to ensure it is ready to fly in national airspace and ready for the user to train with at Beale AFB," said Yvette Weber, chief engineer at the 303d Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio.

The certification is the latest example of success for the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk program. In 2006, the Block 10 version, or RQ-4A, made history when it became the first UAS to earn both a military airworthiness certification and a national certificate of authorization to operate in the national airspace. This airworthiness certification covers all Block 20 and Block 30 Global Hawks delivered to the U.S. Air Force thus far.

Global Hawk flies autonomously at altitudes of more than 60,000 feet, above inclement weather and prevailing winds, for more than 32hours at a time. The first-generation experimental Global Hawks deployed overseas to the Persian Gulf less than two months after Sept. 11, 2001. Since then, Block 10 Global Hawks have been flying nearly continuously, supporting combat operations in the region. The Block 20 and 30 systems, capable of carrying 50 percent more payload with improved sensors, are scheduled to begin operations with the U.S. Air Force at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and at several overseas locations, next year.

Recently, the Block 20 aircraft system was chosen to be modified with special communications relay equipment to support coalition combat forces in Afghanistan. The Block 30 Global Hawk carries sophisticated imaging and electronic signals sensors on missions that can exceed 30 hours. A similar certification will be granted in the near future for the Block 40 system, which is based on the same aircraft design of Block 20 and 30 but carries an advanced radar imaging and ground moving target tracking system used to track enemy movement, regardless of weather conditions on the ground.


Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation

 

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Block 30 Global Hawk arrives at Beale AFB
UNITED STATES - 25 NOVEMBER 2009

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 9th Reconnaissance Wing accepted its first RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30 Nov. 24, when it flew in from Edwards Air Force Base on a ferry flight after completing months of developmental flight tests.

Immediately, similarities and differences were noticed between the new aircraft and the Block 10 Global Hawks, which are currently being used in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"It's got an airworthiness certification from the FAA just like the (Block 10) A model (Global Hawk), and it can fly anywhere in the in the national air space," said Maj. Robert Gudikunst with the 9th RW Commanders Action Group. "Now that we are receiving them we can start doing pilot training here at Beale and also train sensor operators because it has new and improved sensors on it."

The Block 30 carries the new Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite, which in an improved version of the electric optical, infrared, and synthetic aperture radar sensors on the ISS found in the RQ-4A Block 10.

"The big difference is it's got a wider wing span about 130 feet as opposed to 116 feet and it carries a bigger pay load 3,000 pounds as opposed to 2,000 pounds on the current model," Maj. Gudikunst said.

According to Major Gudikunst, future Block 30s will be retrofitted to allow for signal intelligence.

"It will be able to do signal and imagery intelligence, so it will do everything that the U-2 is doing now, and that is the next progression for the (Global Hawk) program," said Maj. Gudikunst.

The first RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30 accepted by the 9th Reconnaissance Wing landed at Beale Nov. 24, on a ferry flight from Edwards Air Force Base after completing months of developmental flight tests.



Airmen from the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron tow the first Block 30 RQ-4B Global Hawk accepted by the 9th Reconnaissance Wing after it flew in from Edwards Air Force Base Nov. 24 after completing months of developmental flight tests.