First sensor-equipped Euro Hawk takes flight
The first full system test flight of the Euro Hawk UAV has been conducted by Northrop Grumman and EADS Deutschland (operating through Cassidian) from Manching Air Base on 11 January. The aircraft was equipped with the signals intelligence (SIGINT) advanced sensors for detection of radar and communication emitters for the eight hour flight.
During the flight the Euro Hawk climbed to a ceiling of 54,000 feet within military controlled airspace before landing safely back at Manching Air Base. The aircraft system had previously completed extensive ground testing at Manching Air Base, receiving final approval from the German Airworthiness Authority to flight test the functionalities of the integrated SIGINT payload.
Based on the RQ-4B Global Hawk HALE UAS, the Euro Hawk system includes a ground station consisting of a mission control and launch and recovery elements provided by Northrop Grumman. It is equipped with a new SIGINT mission system developed by Cassidian, providing standoff capability to detect electronic and communications emitters. The SIGINT ground station receives and analyses the data from Euro Hawk as part of an integrated system solution is also supplied by Cassidian.
Bernhard Gerwert, chief executive officer of Cassidian, said: ‘This successful flight demonstrates the Euro Hawk programme's systems integration capabilities and cutting-edge technologies. The Cassidian-developed SIGINT sensor suite, conforming to the German Bundeswehr's requirements, showed excellent performance within the perfect interplay of the overall system. We therefore are proud to prove with these test flights the new Euro Hawk's mission capability of strategic SIGINT intelligence for the protection and security of the German armed forces.’
Tom Vice, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector, added: ‘Today's SIGINT sensor flight marks the start of the critical flight test phase of the Euro Hawk payload for the German Bundeswehr. Euro Hawk represents many significant firsts for Northrop Grumman. Not only is it our first trans-Atlantic cooperation with Germany and Cassidian, but it is also the first international version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk produced by the company and the first high-altitude, long-endurance [HALE] SIGINT UAS in Europe.’
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
Reamda upgrades Grasshopper UGV observation mast
Reamda, an Irish engineering company with a focus on UGVs and defence applications, delivered its Riddler platformed to the Irish Defence Forces last year.
-
Roke unveils new CUAS solution
The Roke Agile CUAS has been designed to provide protection for military and civilian situations, as well as to handle swarms of UAS by using a range of sensors.
-
Russia reaches new monthly record for Lancet use in Ukraine
The aggressor’s armed forces have adapted Lancet to Ukrainian conditions via iterative developments accompanied by a significant expansion in production capacity
-
India’s pursuit of UAVs fuels domestic innovation and industrial growth
In response to escalating border tensions and the need for enhanced surveillance capabilities, the Indian Army is ramping up its drone acquisitions, reflecting the growing importance of unmanned systems in modern defence strategies.
-
Australia to adopt new predatory OWL species
The Australian Defence Force will introduce the One-Way Loitering (OWL) platform by Innovaero, the country’s first long-range loitering munition, to enhance strike capabilities and understanding of loitering munitions.
-
Dedrone’s latest uncrewed solutions offers “complete CUAS DTI-M kill chain”
DedroneOnTheMove, which integrates advanced sensor-fusion and mitigation technologies, was showcased at Eurosatory 2024 and has been designed for deployment to enhance airspace security in high-risk environments.