The US Air Force's RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial reconnaissance system recently passed the 5,000 combat flight-hours mark while on a mission supporting the global war on terrorism, according to the aircrafts' manufacturer, Northrop Grumman.

Deployed almost immediately following the 9/11 attacks, Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been flying nearly continuous combat missions since 2001. The system has now flown 233 missions, according to Northrop Grumman -- and 157 of those missions have been flown by a single Global Hawk.

Collectively, the family of Global Hawk aircraft has accumulated more than 8,000 total flight hours.

"The high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned reconnaissance system has performed exceptionally well in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, providing image intelligence for hundreds of time-sensitive targets," said George Guerra, director of Northrop Grumman's Air Force Global Hawk program. "It not only flies preprogrammed missions, but can also be re-tasked in just minutes to locate new targets. Global Hawk proved early-on its unique value, reliability and flexibility as an intelligence asset."

Global Hawk flies autonomously at an altitude of more than 60,000 feet, above inclement weather and prevailing winds, for more than 35 hours at a time. During a single mission, it can provide detailed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information in near-real time over 40,000 square miles -- approximately the size of Illinois.

Northrop Grumman leads a Global Hawk industry team that comprises U.S. and international companies. The unmanned system's primary program elements are provided by team members as follows:

• Integrated sensor suite, Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems, El Segundo, CA
• Ground station, Raytheon Intelligence & Information Systems, Falls Church, VA
• Engine, Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis
• Communication system, L-3 Communications, West, Salt Lake City, UT
• Wing, Vought Aircraft Industries, Dallas, TX
• V-Tail assembly and other composite structures, Aurora Flight Sciences, Bridgeport, WV. 

Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems is a premier aerospace and defense systems integration organization. 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.

FMI: www.northropgrumman.com, www.af.mil