Designed by Northrop Grumman, the RQ-4 Global Hawk is a large-scale
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) utilized by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Navy
branches of service for long-range/high-endurance intelligence-gathering, target identification and
general reconnaissance. Its mission is to provide a broad spectrum of ISR collection capability
to support joint combatant forces in worldwide peacetime, contingency and wartime operations.
Global Hawk developed as an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration in 1995. It has been
deployed operationally to support overseas contingency operations since November 2001.
In the RQ-4 name, the "R" is the Department of Defense designation for reconnaissance and "Q"
means unmanned aircraft system. The "4" refers to the series of
purpose-built remotely piloted aircraft systems. The Global Hawk features the most distinct form of
any operational UAV today. It features an internal sensory suite provided by Raytheon and Hughes
while the aircraft itself is operated through a satellite managed data link, which allows
for full transference of information in the form of video and pictures to sources on the ground.
Like the majority of contemporary UAVs, the Global Hawk uses GPS to
track its location and protects its ally pilots from enemy threats and bad weather.
The RQ-4 air vehicle, which has a variety of characteristics such as sensor packages and
communication systems, is also part of the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle system.
The system is completed by a ground component that includes a launch and recovery component,
mission control equipment, and ground communication equipment,
as such the aircraft is remotely controlled and utilizes all of its
capabilities through a satellite link with the pilot on the ground.
These pilots carry just as many responsibilities as pilots in crude aircraft and are supplied with
the same instruments data. Moreover, this drone is amazing that it can survey up to
40.000 square miles of terrain per day, with an area the size of South Korea which is the
longest unrefueled flight by a USAF aircraft. In addition, Global Hawk is currently fielded
in three distinct blocks, where the seven Block 10 aircraft were procured, but were retired in 2011.
Then three from Block 20s have been converted to an EQ-4 communication relay configuration,
carrying the Battlefield Airborne Communication Node payload.
Block 30, is a multi-intelligence platform that simultaneously carries electro-optical,
infrared, Synthetic Aperture Radar, and high and low band SIGINT sensors.
Block 40, carries the Radar Technology Insertion Program active electronically scanned array
radar which provides MTI and SAR data. Block 40 is the latest of the models which
became operational in 2016 which carries a radar technology insertion program,
and an active electronically scanned array radar that provides even more detailed data.
It is interesting to know that the RQ-4 Global Hawk block 30 and block 40 are the
United States largest unmanned aircraft with a total wingspan of 130 feet. This
drone is also expensive, with block 40 costing up to 233 million dollars.
Talking about its operational history, the aircraft set its first world record while
still in its development phase. The Global Hawk holds an aviation first as being the
first unmanned aircraft to fly across the Pacific Ocean when it undertook the feat
from Edwards AFB, United States to RAAF Base Edinburgh, Australia on April 24th, 2001.
This 22 hour flight also set the world record for absolute distance flown by UAV at 8,214.44 miles.
The Global Hawk has also been used in some wars, for instance the war in Afghanistan,
in Iraq war, and in other non-combat related events.
It deployed the United States central command’s area of responsibility which
includes the Middle East, some parts of Africa, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia.
By November 2012, Northrop Grumman had delivered 37 Global Hawks to the USAF.
In March 2014, 42 Global Hawks were in service around the world, with 32 in use by the USAF. Also
in the same year, the Global Hawk participated in Operation inherent resolve, the International
Military intervention against the Islamic state of Iraq. During the operation, the RQ-4 provided real
time imagery and intelligence. In addition, the aircraft is able to distinguish between friendly
and enemy forces, generate long-range targets, and track the movement of enemy equipment.
Moreover, Global Hawk also has a new application. Global Hawk has been used by the Navy, NASA,
and other International collaborators, where the Navy received two RQ-4A air vehicles in 2005 with
1.16 billion dollar contract three years later, to develop a naval variant after winning a broad area
maritime surveillance UAV competition. The RQ-4N then was officially named by the Navy as the North
Grumman MQ-4C Triton in september, 2010. While the ordinary Global Hawks fly at a high altitude to
carry out surveillance missions, the Navy variant differs from the air force RQ-4 primarily in its
wing, which is specifically constructed to handle the pressures of rapidly lowering altitude. The
Triton can climb up to 50.000 feet to overlook a wide area, and quickly drop to 10.000 feet to
get closer look at the target. In addition, Triton
flies over vast ocean and coastal regions, performs continuous maritime surveillance,
conducts search, rescue missions, as well as acts as an overall complement to the Navy’s
Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. As march of 2022 Global Hawk is currently
operated by Japan, with its newest capability including a modernized ground station under
the GSMP modernization program. A drone replacement appears to be in the early
stages of development, but the project is still a secret, of which little is known.
Lastly, let’s talk about its replacement On may 7th, 2021, Air Force General Charles
Brown, the services chief of staff, spoke before the house appropriations committee,
asking for permission to remove all 24 Global Hawk drones from the American arsenal that are part of
Block 20 and Block 30. The reason is because the Global Hawk fleet is no longer survivable against
modern air defenses, particularly from China. According to the air force's request,
which it has been promoting since 2012, RQ block 40s would be left in charge of all
high altitude surveillance activities. Congress in the United States, however, refused to allow
the RQ-4 to be retired until Secretary of Defense Llyod Austin could certify that the
replacement drone will be more cost-effective than the RQ-4 and that the divestment of the
older drones won't interfere with combatant commands' ability to carry out their missions.
The RQ-4 Global Hawk's replacement is coming, but it might not even be ready for operation
until the end of this decade. Still, when asked about the drone’s replacement,
General Nahom refused to share any details of this highly classified project.
That’s all for today, thanks for watching and see you in the next episode!