The RQ-4 Global Hawk recently completed a series of ground and air demonstrations at Beale AFB, Calif., announced Northrop Grumman on April 3. Northrop Grumman worked with the Air Force, at the request of Air Combat Command, to determine whether the remotely piloted aircraft is compatible with different satellite communications links even without changes to the RPA’s hardware, software, or payload, states the release. “This powerful demonstration illustrates Global Hawk’s unique versatility,” said Alfredo Ramirez, director and chief architect of Northrop Grumman’s HALE Enterprise. “We’re ecstatic with Global Hawk’s ability to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance products to operational end-users via multiple paths.” The Jan. 13-15 demonstration showed the Global Hawk is capable of sending mission data through a separate satellite link from the one used for command and control, states the release.
A combined Navy and Air Force program is seeking to build a smaller version of a ubiquitous air-to-air missile that could give advanced aircraft, such as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, greater magazine depth in a high-end fight.