Manufacturer puts forward unmanned air vehicle package to help meet wide-area surveillance requirement
Northrop Grumman has offered Australia a basic RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle system comprising five air vehicles and initial ground control architecture for $330 million. The quote was given to the Defence Materiel Organisation to support planning for Australia's Project Air 7000 Phase 1 wide area UAV surveillance requirement.
"We have worked with the US Air Force and provided two different price and availability statements," says Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems.
The most recent $330 million proposal would involve a ground station, sensors, and the delivery of five Global Hawk air vehicles, plus through-life support and initial spares.
The Australian government is expected to include initial acquisition funding approvals for the Air 7000 Phase 1 requirement in its May national defence budget outline, pending more detailed consideration in the third quarter of this year. The project is expected to be a contest between Northrop and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems International, which plans to offer a Predator B-ER derivative including some elements of the Mariner system that is being proposed to the US Navy.
The US State Department has approved a technical assistance agreement for the release of Global Hawk information by Northrop to Tenix Defence Systems, L-3 Communications Australia and Saab Systems Australia, which will form part of its bid team.
General Atomics has announced a teaming arrangement with National Jet Systems.
Source: Flight International
