Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center to modernize the ground segment for the U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk autonomous unmanned aircraft system.

The modernization of the Global Hawk ground segment will provide the RQ-4 with a modular and scalable cockpit architecture with improved command and control capacity across all sensors and missions. The new systems will replace legacy hardware at Beale Air Force Base and Grand Forks Air Force Base and will feature open mission system compliant hardware and cybersecurity enhancements designed to meet current and future warfighter requirements.

“This award demonstrates our continued collaborative partnership in modernizing the Global Hawk system to increase reliability, capability and sustainability,” said Mick Jaggers, vice president and program manager, Global Hawk, Northrop Grumman. “Global Hawk continues to provide around-the-clock critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance [ISR] information to our warfighters. The ground segment modernization program demonstrates our commitment to deliver cutting edge innovation that sets the standard for high altitude ISR.”

Global Hawks operate continuously around the globe at altitudes up to 60,000 feet for more than 30 hours, supporting combatant commander requirements. The RQ-4 fleet performs missions ranging from near real-time imagery and signals intelligence to airborne communications gateway and tactical networking.

Source: Press Release