According to a contract published by the United States Department of Defense on December 29, 2020, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $37,707,325 firm-fixed-price contract for the Japan RQ-4 Global Hawk drone Program. The contract provides for the procurement of initial spare parts to include modifications to the system engineering and program management tasks required to execute, manage, control, and report on all program activities.
Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2023. This contract is for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Japan and is the result of a sole source acquisition.
In November 2015, the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan for RQ-4 Block 30 (I) Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $1.2 billion.
In November 2018, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems has announced a contract for the delivery of three RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles and related services to Japan under a contract worth $489.9 million.
The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, remotely-piloted, surveillance aircraft designed and manufactured by the American company Northrop Grumman. The Global Hawk is operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It is used as a High-Altitude Long Endurance platform covering the spectrum of intelligence collection capability to support forces in worldwide military operations.
The Global Hawk is operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It is used as a High-Altitude Long Endurance platform covering the spectrum of intelligence collection capability to support forces in worldwide military operations.
The Block 30 Global Hawk carries sophisticated imaging and electronic signals sensors on missions that can exceed 32 hours. Configured to carry an Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite (EISS) and an Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP), the Block 30 is extremely important for situational awareness and intelligence-gathering across huge areas of land. The EISS allows Global Hawk to survey vast geographic regions with pinpoint accuracy. The system combines these advanced technology sensors with a range that extends more than halfway around the world and an ability to remain on station for long periods of time. The high-resolution image quality makes it possible to distinguish various types of vehicles, aircraft, people and missiles, and look through adverse weather, day or night.
Source: air recognition
