Global Hawk Embraces the World

In every field of endeavor there are the workhorses and then there are the stars. In the world of unmanned aerial vehicles, Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk UAV is undeniably the star. Many would argue even that Global Hawk is the shining star of worldwide aerospace and defense in general.

In February, Global Hawk copped aviation's most prestigious prize-the Collier Trophy, which celebrated the top aeronautical achievement of 2000. Then in March, the UAV flew from California to the equator and back-setting records for altitude (65,191 feet) and endurance (30 hours, 24 minutes) by an autonomous, unmanned jet-powered aircraft.

The capper came in late April when Global Hawk became the first autonomous aircraft to fly non-stop across the Pacific Ocean. The 22-hour flight took Global Hawk from its home base at Edwards AFB in California to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Edinburgh, South Australia, to participate in Tandem Thrust military exercises between U.S. and Australian forces.

Global Hawk air vehicle No. 5 was scheduled to fly 12 missions in support of various operations before returning to the States in early June, with the longest sortie scheduled to be about 30 hours. Cost of the deployment is covered under a $6 million USAF contract for demonstration missions recently awarded to Northrop Grumman

The primary mission, and crux of Australia's interest in the long-endurance UAV, is surveillance of shipping lanes for illegal fishing operations, drug smuggling and illegal immigration around the country's extensive coastline. Global Hawk would complement Australia's surveillance fleet of 19 P-3 maritime patrol aircraft and at least four Boeing 737-based Wedgetail AWACs aircraft.

"This experimental aircraft is going to show the way for the future of surveillance and reconnaissance in the region," said RAAF Chief Air Marshall Errol McCormack at a press conference.

For its Australia assignment, modifications were made to Global Hawk's synthetic aperture radar, and an Australian ground element is being used to allow for more flexible control of the UAV's sensors.

Besides traditional surveillance roles, both the U.S. and Australia are looking at Global Hawk for airborne signals intelligence. Such airborne SIGINT capability could be used, for example, to guide next-generation attack helicopters to potential targets.

Regardless of how well Global Hawk performs for the Australians, it is unlikely the nation will purchase such a system anytime soon. No funds are presently earmarked for a long-endurance UAV.

So the exercises are as much to impress the Australians as they are to impress the U.S. military as well as other forces around the world. Global Hawk has elicited a good deal of interest from armed forces outside America-particularly from Germany, which is considering something it calls Eurohawk, a Global Hawk platform with a European-built sensor.

In March, Global Hawk entered its engineering and manufacturing development stage with a $45 million USAF contract. Initial tasks include planning of logistics activities plus implementation of the Global Air Navigation System/Global Air Traffic Management/traffic collision avoidance system, which will enable worldwide operations. Work is scheduled for completion February 2003.

Developed by Teledyne Ryan, which was purchased by Northrop Grumman in July 1999, the 44-foot-long Global Hawk has a 116-foot wingspan almost equivalent to that of a Boeing 737, and can fly autonomously for up to 36 hours at altitudes up to 65,000 ft.

Besides Northrop Grumman, the Global Hawk team includes Rolls-Royce (AE3007H engine); L-3 (integrated communications system); Boeing Vought (graphite composite wing); Aurora Flight Sciences (graphite composite empennage); Marion Composites (composite fairings and radomes); Vista Controls (integrated mission management computer); Litton Kearfott (navigation systems); Honeywell (environmental control system, pressurized payload/avionics compartments; BAE Systems (mission planning); and Mobilized Systems (ground segment shelters).