SAN DIEGO, Aug. 10, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has received a contract from the U.S. Air Force to deploy two production RQ-4A Global Hawk aerial reconnaissance systems early this fall. The air vehicles will join an advanced concept technology demonstration version of the Global Hawk currently in theater supporting the global war on terrorism.
To date deployed Global Hawks have flown more than 4,300 combat hours in 200 missions.
The $21 million contract was awarded on June 2.
Global Hawk flies autonomously at an altitude of 65,000 feet, above inclement weather and prevailing winds for more than 35 hours. During a single mission, it provides detailed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information on a 40,000 square mile area in near-real time.
Northrop Grumman is the leading producer of unmanned systems for the U.S. military with a portfolio that spans a broad spectrum of capabilities. Current systems in service, production or development include the combat-proven Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk and U.S. Army RQ-5 Hunter unmanned reconnaissance systems currently supporting the global war on terrorism; the BQM-34 and BQM-74 aerial targets; the RQ-8 Fire Scout vertical take-off and landing tactical UAV in low-rate initial production for the Navy and for U.S. Army Future Combat Systems Class IV unmanned air vehicle program; the multi-role Hunter II proposed for the Army's next-generation, extended-range, multi-purpose UAV program; and the X-47 Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Air Force and Navy; and advanced systems like the KillerBee program being developed for low-altitude, long endurance missions.
Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems is a premier aerospace and defense systems integration organization. Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., it designs, develops, produces and supports network-enabled integrated systems and subsystems optimized for use on networks. For its government and civil customers worldwide, Integrated Systems delivers best-value solutions, products and services that support military and homeland defense missions in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; space access; battle management command and control; and integrated strike warfare.