Will Modernize Ground Controls For USAF Global Hawk

The U.S. Air Force has awarded a subcontract valued up to $104 million to Raytheon to modernize the ground segment for the U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk autonomous aircraft. Raytheon partners with Northrop Grumman as the ground integrator for Global Hawk contracts.

Raytheon and Northrop Grumman have a long history of providing end-to-end Global Hawk solutions. Northrop Grumman builds the Global Hawk, the U.S. Air Force's high-altitude, long-endurance platform used to gather a variety of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, data. Raytheon provides modernized ground controls to enhance capabilities, safety and cybersecurity of Global Hawk operations worldwide.

Global Hawk's modernized mission control stations will use an open architecture to give the U.S. Air Force flexibility for adding different mission payloads and new platforms. Proven safety features are combined with Raytheon's cutting-edge cybersecurity for a safe and secure system.

"The Raytheon and Northrop Grumman team delivers innovative solutions that help the Air Force develop critical battlefield intelligence capability," said Todd Probert, vice president of Mission Support and Modernization at Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services (IIS). "We modernize systems with a unique approach that enhances the mission and reduces overall costs."

Raytheon will develop and install building-based mission control stations at Beale and Grand Forks Air Force Bases. The new stations will replace the current, shelter-based, mission control and launch & recovery elements.

Raytheon mastery of unmanned command and control systems extends across the U.S. military. Raytheon recently announced the U.S. Navy's MQ-8 deployment aboard the USS Coronado, with advanced control stations based on the same open architecture model that will be used by the Air Force.

(Source: Northrop Grumman news release. Image from file)

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