Global Hawk
Abstract
The Global Hawk System provides high altitude, deep look, long endurance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability that compliments space and other airborne collectors during peacetime, crisis, and war-fighting scenarios. This funding procures the highly capable Global Hawk System, which is comprised of aircraft, payloads, ground segment, and support segment. The aircraft is an autonomous, high altitude, long endurance, remotely pilioted aircraft (RPA). The RQ-4A is an imagery-intelligence (IMINT) RPA designed to employ 2000 pounds of payload. The RQ-4A has one configuration known as the Block 10. The Block 10 employs an IMINT system comprised of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor and an electro-optical (EO) / infrared (IR) sensor. These three sensors are called the integrated sensor suite (ISS). The RQ-4B RPA is designed to employ 3000 pounds of payload and enable multi-intelligence (multi-INT) collecting. The RQ-4B has three configurations: Block 20, Block 30, and Block 40. The Block 20 will employ upgraded SAR and EO/IR sensors known as the enhanced ISS (EISS) in an IMINT only configuration. The Block 30 will employ the same EISS sensors as the Block 20 and will also integrate a wide spectrum signals intelligence (SIGINT) sensor called the Airborne Signals Intelligence Program (ASIP) sensor used simultaneously to create a multi-INT platform. The Block 40 will only integrate the multi-platform radar technology insertion program (MP-RTIP) radar sensor. The user will ultimately determine the optimal mix of quantities and payloads for each aircraft configuration based on operational requirements. The ground station (GS) includes the mission control element (MCE) and the launch and recovery element (LRE). The support segment includes aerospace ground equipment, tech orders, spares, support equipment, and training to enable operation of the Global Hawk System. The Global Hawk program went through a Title 10, Section 2433 review in 2006, due to a unit cost breach (informally known as Nunn-McCurdy breach). The Department certified the program to Congress on June 5th, 2006. As a result of the review, the Department directed a program restructure to slow development and cap the low rate initial production (LRIP) at 5 per year to reduce risk. LRIP will remain at 5 per year or less until successful completion of the initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E). This program is budget activity 7, Operational Systems Development, because it utilizes Air Force R&D to develop a highly capable operational system. When judged feasible and affordable, this program will participate in the development, testing, and implementation of international standards (to include NATO standardization agreements) to enhance joint, allied, and coalition interoperability. Activities will also include studies and analysis to support both current program planning and execution and future program planning.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2011
- Source ID
- 675144_0305220F_7_3600_PB_2011
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