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Old 05-19-2008 | 12:06 PM
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Harley Condra
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From: Longwood , FL
Default RE: Global Hawk

Nope, afraid not.
Where is the Boeing involvement?

Rockwell Aerospace, a division of North American Aircraft, built the first wing. Later, in 1996, they merged with Boeing.
So, using very loose logic, since Boeing bought or merged with North American Rockwell, can they lay claim to having built the Global Hawk wing?
No more than Boeing can claim to have built the P-51 Mustang, or any other North American Aircraft design or product.
At the USAF 50th Anniversary Convention and trade show in Las Vegas, Boeing had photos of the "Boeing P-51" prominantly displayed. What a joke.
Since Boeing and North American merged, it didn't seem to be a very good business arrangement for Boeing, a competitor for the Tier II Plus award, so Northrop Grumman awarded the wing contract to Vought....which had just been spun off from Northrop Grumman Aerostructures Sector and given it's original name back. So, the wing is back under the NGC corporate umbrella.

Vought delivered two block 10 prototype wings and followed on with nine production Block 10 wings under the LRIP contract. Later on, Vought was selected to build the enhanced wing for the block 20 aircraft. Production is authorized for Vought through March of 2010.

I see the possibility of some confusion at your end.

Hey....I was there! I retired after 38 years in the UAV and RPV industry with Teledyne Ryan and Northrop Grumman after they bought Teledyne Ryan in 1999.
I'm still in contact....