Japan’s RQ-4B Global Hawk makes first flight

Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully completed the first flight of Japan’s RQ-4B Global Hawk on 15 April 2021 from Palmdale, California.

CAPTION: Japan’s RQ-4B Global Hawk makes its maiden flight. Photo supplied by Northrop Grumman.

With an unmatched combination of range, endurance, and payload capability, Global Hawk is the only platform that provides greater data collection flexibility than space or medium-altitude assets.

Vice president and general manager, autonomous systems, Northrop Grumman Jane Bishop said the unarmed RQ-4B Global Hawk would provide Japan with on-demand intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information supporting the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s missions of protecting borders, monitoring threats and providing humanitarian assistance.

“This successful first flight is a significant milestone in delivering Global Hawk to our Japanese allies,” Ms Bishop said.

“Global Hawk is the only high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned air vehicle to deliver near real-time on demand data around the clock.

“Once fielded, Global Hawk will integrate with other Japanese intelligence assets, including ground-based command and control units.

“The capability will provide solutions to monitor and deter regional threats to ensure Japan has a highly effective national security posture well into the future.”

When Japan’s Global Hawk fleet is fully operational, it will be part of a growing list of allied nations operating high-altitude long-endurance UAV.

The United States, Australia, NATO and Korea will all be operating versions of this vital national surveillance asset.

Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 97,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.

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