SAN DIEGO, Aug. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With several
test flights this summer, the U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk Wide
Area Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) proved its ability
to operate with an expanded variety of intelligence exploitation
ground stations and collect mission data in more places.
The RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS is built by Northrop Grumman Corp.
(NYSE: NOC) and is equipped with a Multi-Platform Radar Technology
Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) sensor capable of detecting fixed and
moving targets. Test flights out of Edwards Air Force Base provided
the first demonstration of interoperability with the latest Air
Force Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) upgrades. Another
test saw positive results from new MP-RTIP maritime modes,
demonstrating the collection capabilities that make the Global Hawk
relevant to the Arctic and Mediterranean missions of the NATO
Alliance Ground Surveillance (NATO AGS) system.
"These successful test flights illustrate Global Hawk's
adaptability in an ever-changing defense landscape," said
Mick Jaggers, Global Hawk program
manager, Northrop Grumman. "The flights demonstrated Northrop
Grumman's latest software development in anticipation of Initial
Operational Test & Evaluation [IOT&E] in 2015."
The aircraft interoperability flights of more than 30 hours
endurance were some of the longest aircraft missions flown during
development tests from Edwards Air Force Base. One mission
stretched across three calendar days and collected mission data
from the North Pacific coast to the Eastern edge of the
Gulf of Mexico via various
intelligence centers. Other MP-RTIP test flights in July were used
to test new software to enable maritime modes for the MP-RTIP radar
for the NATO AGS system.
Global Hawk has flown more than 120,000 flight hours supporting
diverse global missions. Carrying a variety of intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance sensor and communications gateway
payloads, Global Hawk supports antiterrorism, antipiracy,
humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, airborne communications
relay, information-sharing and the full range of operational combat
missions.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing
innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems,
cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and
commercial customers worldwide. Please visit
www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
SOURCE Northrop Grumman Corporation