USAF Global Hawk Completes 1st Production Acceptance Multi-Intelligence Sensor Flight

Someoneforyou

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Unmanned Global Hawk Completes First Production Acceptance Multi-Intelligence Sensor Flight
UNITED STATES - 7 JULY 2011

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --- The newest Northrop Grumman Corporation built RQ-4 Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft completed the first of many production acceptance flights of an operational Block 30 multi-intelligence sensor package on May 25, flown from Palmdale, Calif.

The Global Hawk flight marks a new era of increased operational intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability flown with multiple sensors simultaneously from a single platform. The multi-intelligence sensor package includes the airborne signals intelligence payload (ASIP) manufactured by Northrop Grumman and the enhanced integrated sensor suite that includes electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The ASIP system includes both electronics and communications collection capability.

"Block 30 Global Hawks are currently equipped with both EO/IR and SAR sensors as components of the Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite (EISS) built by Raytheon, and they have provided round-the-clock support for both military and humanitarian efforts overseas," said George Guerra, HALE Systems vice president, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "The ASIP will be added to the EISS on the Block 30 Global Hawks, which will provide a persistent level of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance that has never before been provided by any aircraft."

There are currently nine Block 30 Global Hawks located at forward operating locations. In time, those nine Global Hawks will rotate through the Palmdale facility to have the ASIP sensor added to their current EISS-only Block 30 configuration. It will be a seamless addition because the Block 30s are already configured to accept ASIP. The addition of the ASIP provides the warfighter with critical ISR collection capability that extends beyond imagery.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk flies up to 60,000 feet, above weather and commercial air traffic. Global Hawk flies for more than 32 hours per sortie at speeds approaching 340 knots. As the world's first fully autonomous HALE UAS, Global Hawk Block 30 will soon be operational in remote areas of the globe with ASIP, performing this new persistent and critical ISR mission.



Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation


File Photo: U.S. Air Force Global Hawk:

 

Someoneforyou

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Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft System Completes First Full System Flight with MP-RTIP Sensor
UNITED STATES - 26 JULY 2011

EDWARDS U.S. AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., July 26, 2011 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) RQ-4B Block 40 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) completed its first full system flight with the high performance AN/ZPY-2, also referred to as the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) sensor. The flight took place at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on July 21.

This is a first for a fleet of Block 40 Global Hawks that will be delivered to the UAS' main operating base at Grand Forks U.S. Air Force Base, N.D.

The MP-RTIP-equipped Block 40 Global Hawk provides unprecedented capabilities for both military and domestic applications. Flying at altitudes up to 60,000 feet for more than 32 hours per sortie at speeds approaching 340 knots, the Block 40 Global Hawk provides persistent coverage to see through all types of weather, day or night, thereby providing vital near real-time imagery to the warfighter.

"Since 2001 Global Hawk has provided critical resources to the warfighter, while accumulating more than 45,000 combat and humanitarian relief hours," said George Guerra, vice president, High Altitude Long Endurance Systems, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "The MP-RTIP equipped Global Hawk is the natural evolution of the program's advanced technology in providing invaluable intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities for both military and domestic applications."

The Block 40 Global Hawk is a part of a growing Q-4 Enterprise family of unmanned systems developed by Northrop Grumman. The Q-4 Enterprise builds on the company's more than 60 years experience with unmanned aircraft and autonomous flight control, including more than 52,000 flight hours by the battle-proven RQ-4 Global Hawk.

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems is the prime contractor for the Global Hawk and MP-RTIP programs and continues to move these technologies forward under the stewardship of the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems' Norwalk, Conn., facility is teamed with Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif., to develop, produce and deliver the AN/ZPY-2 MP-RTIP radar.


Block 40 Global Hawk completed its first full system flight with the MP-RTIP sensor at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.





Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation
 

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Northrop Grumman-built Block 30 Global Hawks Receive U.S. Air Force Initial Operational Capability Declaration
UNITED STATES - 16 AUGUST 2011

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 16, 2011 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command has declared that the Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC)-built unmanned RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk has reached its initial operational capability (IOC).

IOC is declared when a development program completes initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E), and is cleared to support real-time operations.

While IOC was recently declared, the Air Force determined there was a critical need to implement Block 30 Global Hawks earlier this year. The Block 30s were moved to operational status prior to the IOT&E report being released and have provided critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of disaster relief efforts in Japan, NATO operations over Libya and are replacing Block 10 aircraft in Central Command operations.

"The men and women of Northrop Grumman are proud to provide Global Hawk's unprecedented capabilities to support critical missions all over the world," said George Guerra, HALE vice president, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.

There are currently nine Block 30 Global Hawks stationed abroad. The Block 30 Global Hawks are currently equipped with the Raytheon enhanced integrated sensor suite (EISS), which includes electro optical/infrared and synthetic aperture radar. Within the next year, the Block 30 aircraft will be reconfigured to perform a multi-intelligence role with the introduction of Northrop Grumman's Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP) with the existing EISS.



Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation
 

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