Tim Ripley
Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk has its eyes set on the European unmanned aerial vehicle market from its perch at the centre of the Farnborough 2000 site.
The RQ-4A Global Hawk's 35m (116ft) wing span comes as a big surprise to many Farnborough visitors, who have had a chance to view only small tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) at previous shows. Northrop Grumman brought a full sized mock-up of its high altitude and long endurance UAV to Farnborough as part of its campaign to win military and civilian sales in Europe, says Norm Sakamoto, business development vice-president for the Global Hawk.
"The next emerging market is international," he says. Most international interest is expressed in Europe - both commercial and military interest. "We are offering a unique platform, with long endurance, high altitude - 65,000ft - and long range." Normal manned aircraft are limited by the time the pilot can fly.
Military interest in the Global Hawk has been received from Germany, Italy and France. "A number of people from the UK Ministry of Defence have come to see us and they have already been to Edwards AFB to look at the air vehicle," says Sakamoto. European military users want to use it for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. They want photographic, radar and electronic optical imagery, as well as signals intelligence and a number of special sensors.
"We are talking to European sensor manufacturers from France, Germany and Sweden who want to put products on aircraft. We have been approached by a number of people who have payloads that are of interest to potential commercial users."
Sakamoto says a basic air vehicle costs $15-$25 million, depending on the number being ordered. Costs are reduced by the use of commercial off-the shelf items, such as the engine, undercarriage and many of the sensors.
The Global Hawk air vehicle, associated sensors and ground station is currently being evaluated by the Pentagon. Once this assessment is completed the US Defence Acquisition Board will decide on moving to engineering and manufacturing development, to allow the USAF to buy up to 20 by 2005.
Source: Flight Daily News
