Northrop Grumman To Repurpose EQ-4Bs as Range Hawks | Aviation International News

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Northrop Grumman To Repurpose EQ-4Bs as Range Hawks

The former BACN-carrying high-altitude UAVs will be outfitted to support hypersonic missile tests as part of the SkyRange initiative.

Fire crew stand by to provide the traditional water salute as an EQ-4B lands at Grand Forks at the end of the variant’s last flight in Air Force service on July 29. (Photo: U.S. Air Force)

By David Donald • Contributor - UK

December 16, 2021

Northrop Grumman has been issued a task order to begin engineering and planning work for the repurposing of four EQ-4B Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft. Formerly used for carrying the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) payload, the Block 20 machines were retired from U.S. Air Force service at the end of July and have been handed over to the Department of Defense’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC), which already has a number of RQ-4 Global Hawks.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

U.S. Navy Tests Autonomy Integration With MQ-20 Drone

Adaptive autonomy elements can modify a mission plan in real-time

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

drone in flight above desert

Northrop Grumman Starts Flying Talon Blue Combat Drone

Autonomous vehicle could compete for U.S. Air Force collaborative combat aircraft program

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Uncrewed aircraft getting airborne from runway, hangar in background

Joby’s Autonomous Caravan Completes Coast-to-coast Trip

On-board safety pilot made no control inputs over 3,199 miles

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Joby’s autonomous Cessna Grand Caravan flies past Bodie Island Lighthouse

Bristow Triples Early-delivery Chaparral Reservations

Helicopter operator has reserved 15 of the hybrid-electric cargo drones

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Elroy Air’s hybrid-electric Chaparral cargo drone is parked beside a helicopter from Bristow

Beamed Power Could Keep Solar Aircraft Aloft in Winter

BAE Systems unit gets $21.2 million to test the idea with PHASA-35

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

PHASA-35

Textron, Merlin Unveil Uncrewed SkyCourier Concept

Design study swaps the cockpit for a nose cargo door

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Cessna SkyCourier UX Render

Lockheed Martin Will Build Four Vectis Drone Prototypes

The U.S. defense group displayed a UAS model at the Air & Space Forces Association conference

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Lockheed Martin Vectis UAS

Swarm Pitches Gamera for New U.S. Drone Requirements

U.S. Air Force is seeking a more affordable replacement for MQ-9A Reapers

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Swarm Aero Gamera drone