GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Lockheed Martin offers alternative to pricey Global Hawk
The US Air Force is studying a Lockheed Martin proposal to restart production of the U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft as a low-cost alternative to full development and procurement of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle.
Lockheed Martin delivered the last U-2R in 1989 and is upgrading the USAF's 31 U-2S and four two-seat U-2STs with new avionics, but has maintained the production tooling. The company says its proposal was submitted at the USAF's request, although unsolicited proposals to restart production were made in the 1990s. Lockheed Martin says the USAF may respond by the end of next month.
Northrop Grumman, the USAF and major RQ-4 suppliers have, meanwhile, formed a joint affordability team to "come up with initiatives to reduce the cost of the system by between 25% and 50%", says the manufacturer. The venture was formed in April and briefed USAF acquisition chief Darleen Druyun late last month on its initial findings. Northrop Grumman says around eight categories of potential cost-savings have been identified, with most changes involving the sensors.
The USAF has balked at Global Hawk's $75 million price tag, cited by USAF chief of staff Gen John Jumper at a recent Air Force Association meeting. Having identified a 50% cut as its "stretch goal", the USAF has pinpointed the sensors, particularly the Raytheon Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS), as the prime expense.
Raytheon argues that lower-than-expected production rates have raised ISS costs to around $12 million, compared with the $6 million target price. The problems are expected to increase with the heavier payload weight of the forthcoming multi-platform radar technology insertion platform now being developed for the RQ-4, as well as the Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS.
Northrop Grumman says the team will present its recommendations to Druyun this month. The plan will then be put before USAF acquisition under-secretary Marvin Sambur, a critic of the sensor system costs. The recommendations are expected to trade sophistication and capability for cost.
Northrop Grumman says it is anxious to present options that prevent the USAF making unilateral cost-cutting decisions. Two low-rate initial production RQ-4s are due to be delivered in September and December, with a third vehicle proposed in the last budget. Fifty-one RQ-4s are expected to enter service.
Source: Flight International
