Global Hawk
05-08-2008 | 10:15 AM
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From: San Tan Valley,
AZ
Global Hawk
Global Hawk UAV
T his is a photo of the Global Hawk UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) that returned from the war zone recently under its own power.
That's Iraq to Edwards AFB in CA non stop..... Notice the mission paintings on the fuselage.
It has actually flown over 250 missions. That's a lot of missions for a remotely-piloted aircraft. Just think of the technology and the skill required to fly it remotely. Nice thing about it is that the pilot is not in any danger because he controls it from a very comfortable control room at Edwards AFB.
On really! long m issions, the Global Hawk can stay up for almost 2 days at altitudes above 60k. It is controlled via satellite communication. It can fly missions from Edwards AFB to northern Alaska and back non-stop. Basically, when they attack a target they come in at very high speed and fire their AMRAAMS and are gone without ever being seen. They have AWACS direct input and 360 degree situational awareness. The enemy will definitely have a morale problem before it is all over. The Global Hawk can taxi, take off, fly a mission, return, land and put itself back in the hanger with no pilot. This airplane is almost beyond belief.
Sorry the phoyto didn't come thru
05-12-2008 | 10:04 AM
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From: St.Paul,
MN
RE: Global Hawk
Funny thing about the global hawk is that its really old hat compared with some of the new Unmanned Systems coming out. General Atomics is pretty much leading the way as far as I can tell now (Predator, I-GNAT, Sky Warrior, Reaper, Ect...). These systems can do pretty much everything that the global hawk can do plus more.
Strike platform, Comms relay platform, general survaillance platform, this list goes on.
Check out the general atomics web site [link=http://www.uav.com]general atomics[/link]
I been flying UAS for the army for several years now and from the time I started until now the technical leaps have been unreal.
No I dont work for GA or fly their UAS (YET) but I should be soon.
Harry
Strike platform, Comms relay platform, general survaillance platform, this list goes on.
Check out the general atomics web site [link=http://www.uav.com]general atomics[/link]
I been flying UAS for the army for several years now and from the time I started until now the technical leaps have been unreal.
No I dont work for GA or fly their UAS (YET) but I should be soon.
Harry
05-18-2008 | 11:25 AM
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From: Longwood ,
FL
RE: Global Hawk
Hey dirtybird,
I read your post regarding the attack capabilities of the Global Hawk.
I don't know where you are getting your information, but some of it is incorrect.
For one, the RQ-4 Global Hawk does not carry any offensive armamant. No AMRAAM's, no missiles, bombs or guns of any kind. BTW, an AMRAAM is an air to air, radar guided, BVR air combat missile. They are not used for ground attack. The enemy forces that we are facing in Afghanistan and Iraq present no airborne threats.
The Global Hawk does carry towed IR countermeasures.
The Global Hawk is incapable of high speed. The entire mission is flown at or around 350 MPH....not a blistering speed using anyone's metrics.
The Global Hawk was designed to be, and is a very large, high altitude, long endurance reconnisance UAV. Nothing but real time downlinkable recon imaging...it carries (B model) 3000 lbs of SAR and EOIR payload.
Where do I get my info?
I'm in the attached photo. (First wind tunnel test of the Global Hawk in December of 1995...I'm second from the left). At that time, we were called Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical Co. We designed it, built it and flew it.
Northrop Grumman bought us in June of 1999 and gained the much wanted Global Hawk contract after loosing the proposal process...along with Boeing, and a couple of other giants. By then, we had flown the first ship, tail number 952001. It made its first flight on 2-28-1998, logging six hours, reaching 36,000 feet, and landed within 6" of the runway centerline.
It was carrying a landing vidoe camera in a mount and fairing that was designed and fabricated in the engineering test support shop, by myself and R.S. (Dick) March.
No other UAV has duplicated the capabilities of the Global Hawk.
Should you like to learn more, visit the NGC website...just Google "Northrop Grumman"...you can find your way to the Unmanned Systems site containg the RQ-4 information cleared for public release..
You can update and correct your knowledge of the system...including the range figures.....
I retired in June of 2005 after 38 years in the RPV and UAV industry. I'm sure that some of the capabilities have been upgraded since then, but this info I have presented is for real.
I read your post regarding the attack capabilities of the Global Hawk.
I don't know where you are getting your information, but some of it is incorrect.
For one, the RQ-4 Global Hawk does not carry any offensive armamant. No AMRAAM's, no missiles, bombs or guns of any kind. BTW, an AMRAAM is an air to air, radar guided, BVR air combat missile. They are not used for ground attack. The enemy forces that we are facing in Afghanistan and Iraq present no airborne threats.
The Global Hawk does carry towed IR countermeasures.
The Global Hawk is incapable of high speed. The entire mission is flown at or around 350 MPH....not a blistering speed using anyone's metrics.
The Global Hawk was designed to be, and is a very large, high altitude, long endurance reconnisance UAV. Nothing but real time downlinkable recon imaging...it carries (B model) 3000 lbs of SAR and EOIR payload.
Where do I get my info?
I'm in the attached photo. (First wind tunnel test of the Global Hawk in December of 1995...I'm second from the left). At that time, we were called Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical Co. We designed it, built it and flew it.
Northrop Grumman bought us in June of 1999 and gained the much wanted Global Hawk contract after loosing the proposal process...along with Boeing, and a couple of other giants. By then, we had flown the first ship, tail number 952001. It made its first flight on 2-28-1998, logging six hours, reaching 36,000 feet, and landed within 6" of the runway centerline.
It was carrying a landing vidoe camera in a mount and fairing that was designed and fabricated in the engineering test support shop, by myself and R.S. (Dick) March.
No other UAV has duplicated the capabilities of the Global Hawk.
Should you like to learn more, visit the NGC website...just Google "Northrop Grumman"...you can find your way to the Unmanned Systems site containg the RQ-4 information cleared for public release..
You can update and correct your knowledge of the system...including the range figures.....
I retired in June of 2005 after 38 years in the RPV and UAV industry. I'm sure that some of the capabilities have been upgraded since then, but this info I have presented is for real.
05-19-2008 | 10:02 AM
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From: San Tan Valley,
AZ
RE: Global Hawk
ORIGINAL: Harley Condra
Hey dirtybird,
I read your post regarding the attack capabilities of the Global Hawk.
I don't know where you are getting your information, but some of it is incorrect.
For one, the RQ-4 Global Hawk does not carry any offensive armamant. No AMRAAM's, no missiles, bombs or guns of any kind. BTW, an AMRAAM is an air to air, radar guided, BVR air combat missile. They are not used for ground attack. The enemy forces that we are facing in Afghanistan and Iraq present no airborne threats.
The Global Hawk does carry towed IR countermeasures.
The Global Hawk is incapable of high speed. The entire mission is flown at or around 350 MPH....not a blistering speed using anyone's metrics.
The Global Hawk was designed to be, and is a very large, high altitude, long endurance reconnisance UAV. Nothing but real time downlinkable recon imaging...it carries (B model) 3000 lbs of SAR and EOIR payload.
Where do I get my info?
I'm in the attached photo. (First wind tunnel test of the Global Hawk in December of 1995...I'm second from the left). At that time, we were called Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical Co. We designed it, built it and flew it.
Northrop Grumman bought us in June of 1999 and gained the much wanted Global Hawk contract after loosing the proposal process...along with Boeing, and a couple of other giants. By then, we had flown the first ship, tail number 952001. It made its first flight on 2-28-1998, logging six hours, reaching 36,000 feet, and landed within 6" of the runway centerline.
It was carrying a landing vidoe camera in a mount and fairing that was designed and fabricated in the engineering test support shop, by myself and R.S. (Dick) March.
No other UAV has duplicated the capabilities of the Global Hawk.
Should you like to learn more, visit the NGC website...just Google "Northrop Grumman"...you can find your way to the Unmanned Systems site containg the RQ-4 information cleared for public release..
You can update and correct your knowledge of the system...including the range figures.....
I retired in June of 2005 after 38 years in the RPV and UAV industry. I'm sure that some of the capabilities have been upgraded since then, but this info I have presented is for real.
Hey dirtybird,
I read your post regarding the attack capabilities of the Global Hawk.
I don't know where you are getting your information, but some of it is incorrect.
For one, the RQ-4 Global Hawk does not carry any offensive armamant. No AMRAAM's, no missiles, bombs or guns of any kind. BTW, an AMRAAM is an air to air, radar guided, BVR air combat missile. They are not used for ground attack. The enemy forces that we are facing in Afghanistan and Iraq present no airborne threats.
The Global Hawk does carry towed IR countermeasures.
The Global Hawk is incapable of high speed. The entire mission is flown at or around 350 MPH....not a blistering speed using anyone's metrics.
The Global Hawk was designed to be, and is a very large, high altitude, long endurance reconnisance UAV. Nothing but real time downlinkable recon imaging...it carries (B model) 3000 lbs of SAR and EOIR payload.
Where do I get my info?
I'm in the attached photo. (First wind tunnel test of the Global Hawk in December of 1995...I'm second from the left). At that time, we were called Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical Co. We designed it, built it and flew it.
Northrop Grumman bought us in June of 1999 and gained the much wanted Global Hawk contract after loosing the proposal process...along with Boeing, and a couple of other giants. By then, we had flown the first ship, tail number 952001. It made its first flight on 2-28-1998, logging six hours, reaching 36,000 feet, and landed within 6" of the runway centerline.
It was carrying a landing vidoe camera in a mount and fairing that was designed and fabricated in the engineering test support shop, by myself and R.S. (Dick) March.
No other UAV has duplicated the capabilities of the Global Hawk.
Should you like to learn more, visit the NGC website...just Google "Northrop Grumman"...you can find your way to the Unmanned Systems site containg the RQ-4 information cleared for public release..
You can update and correct your knowledge of the system...including the range figures.....
I retired in June of 2005 after 38 years in the RPV and UAV industry. I'm sure that some of the capabilities have been upgraded since then, but this info I have presented is for real.
Things progress rapidly in wartime. You might be a bit behind the times.
05-19-2008 | 12:06 PM
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From: Longwood ,
FL
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....
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....
05-20-2008 | 11:40 AM
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From: San Tan Valley,
AZ
RE: Global Hawk
Boeing bought NAA from Rockwell. I guess they can change the name to anything they want to.
I participated in the initial design of the Advance Cruise Missile, a very capable UAV. But since I retired I don't have security clearance, so, even though I know several of the people working on it now, I don't think they are telling me of the latest updates.
I participated in the initial design of the Advance Cruise Missile, a very capable UAV. But since I retired I don't have security clearance, so, even though I know several of the people working on it now, I don't think they are telling me of the latest updates.
06-12-2008 | 05:08 PM
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From: Wichita,
KS
RE: Global Hawk
ORIGINAL: dirtybird
Boeing bought NAA from Rockwell. I guess they can change the name to anything they want to.
I participated in the initial design of the Advance Cruise Missile, a very capable UAV. But since I retired I don't have security clearance, so, even though I know several of the people working on it now, I don't think they are telling me of the latest updates.
Boeing bought NAA from Rockwell. I guess they can change the name to anything they want to.
I participated in the initial design of the Advance Cruise Missile, a very capable UAV. But since I retired I don't have security clearance, so, even though I know several of the people working on it now, I don't think they are telling me of the latest updates.
I have deployed at a base that hosts the global hawk. she carries zero weapons. I did watch it taxi into a truck, luckly there was no damage to the plane small dent to the truck though.
07-13-2008 | 12:58 PM
#10
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RE: Global Hawk
The Globalhawk is high altitude recce only...no weapons. No hard points for weapons, no wiring or equipment for AMRAAMS or other offensive weapons. It can help target for other attack assets in the battlespace, but that is it, weapons wise.
The GA Predator has been carrying some weapons from time to time.
The GA Predator has been carrying some weapons from time to time.
07-13-2008 | 01:03 PM
#11
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RE: Global Hawk
ORIGINAL: Harley Condra
................
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.
...............
................
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.
...............
If you want to produce a model kit of the P-51, a calendar with P-51 pictures on it or anything else that uses the trademarked name or likeness, you are supposed to have a contract with Boeing....sigh.
I happen to work for Lockheed Martin, who makes the Lockheed Martin F-16.....
Anyone remember the General Dynamics F-16?...
Would be a great plug for fiberglassing!
12-14-2008 | 12:06 AM
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From: Longwood ,
FL
RE: Global Hawk
The tunnel model in question is in storage at the Northrop Grumman facility in Palmdale Ca, along with the rest of our models.
Models like this are 5 axis machined from aluminum and stainless steel, and have adjustable control surfaces that can be removed and replaced with surfaces with different deflection angles. The landing gear is also removable so the model can be tested in clean. We even tested it with a clean nose, so we could see the drag count addition of the radar dome that contains the 48" dish. We also added conformal external wing fuel tanks underslung at quarter span, but they were not incorporated in the production design.
These models are quite heavy...I would estimate the assembled weight of this model to be in the 90 to 100 lb. range. They need to be quite robust and rigid.
The last thing the anyone wants are loose model parts flying downstream.
They also feature single (stinger) suspension, (Up the tailpipe) and/or triple suspension points on the wings and fuselage to hook up to the data collection systems strain gauges.
You can imagine how expensive they are to manufacture.
As I recall, the initial tunnel runs took about a week, with 3 or four configuration changes each day.
The wind tunnel photo was taken in the Micro Craft low speed tunnel in San Diego Ca. in 1994.
In 1944, Consolidated Vultee broke ground to build the tunnel. In 1961 Consolidated Vultee became General Dynamics Convair, then Lockheed, then sold to Micro Craft. Allied Aerospace Inc. bought Micro Craft in 1999, and still operate the tunnel.
Models like this are 5 axis machined from aluminum and stainless steel, and have adjustable control surfaces that can be removed and replaced with surfaces with different deflection angles. The landing gear is also removable so the model can be tested in clean. We even tested it with a clean nose, so we could see the drag count addition of the radar dome that contains the 48" dish. We also added conformal external wing fuel tanks underslung at quarter span, but they were not incorporated in the production design.
These models are quite heavy...I would estimate the assembled weight of this model to be in the 90 to 100 lb. range. They need to be quite robust and rigid.
The last thing the anyone wants are loose model parts flying downstream.
They also feature single (stinger) suspension, (Up the tailpipe) and/or triple suspension points on the wings and fuselage to hook up to the data collection systems strain gauges.
You can imagine how expensive they are to manufacture.
As I recall, the initial tunnel runs took about a week, with 3 or four configuration changes each day.
The wind tunnel photo was taken in the Micro Craft low speed tunnel in San Diego Ca. in 1994.
In 1944, Consolidated Vultee broke ground to build the tunnel. In 1961 Consolidated Vultee became General Dynamics Convair, then Lockheed, then sold to Micro Craft. Allied Aerospace Inc. bought Micro Craft in 1999, and still operate the tunnel.
