Raytheon officials say the company has a new contract to produce ground segments for the RQ-4A/B Global Hawk unmanned aerial systems program. The agreement, which includes launch and recovery and mission control elements and associated ground communication systems, covers segments for Lot 4 of the Global Hawk’s low-rate initial rate production. Officials did not disclose the amount of the award.
After years of experiments and tests, senior Air Force leaders say they're on the verge of using C-17s and other cargo aircraft to launch cruise missiles via airdrop, touting the development as a way to bolster the combat fleet and a major shift in the service’s mindset.