Northrop Grumman delivers new capabilities to Global Hawk aircraft
Northrop Grumman has delivered a pair of sensors to enhance the capability of its Global Hawk high-altitude long-endurance autonomous aircraft system.
In a 24 September statement the company said the enhancements include the deployment of the MS-177 multi-spectral camera system to provide additional high-resolution imaging capability for operational users.
A further new capability was the first fielding of the increment 1 upgraded AN/ASQ-230 system on Global Hawk to meet expanded electronic threats.
Northrop Grumman said the new MS-177 camera and upgraded AN/ASQ-230 sensors would enhance multi-spectral image and signals intelligence collection for the US Air Force and Geographic Combatant Commands.
The MS-177 camera system provides multiple channels of intelligence collection in visible and infrared bands and provides an increase in multi-spectral imaging capacity. When paired with a Global Hawk platform, the MS-177 provides collection coverage in areas that cannot easily be reached by other means.
‘New and improved payloads flying on our young, yet proven fleet of aircraft will allow our partners to deploy high value, networked assets to monitor adversaries while not risking the lives of military personnel well into the 2040s,’ Leslie Smith, vice president, Global Hawk at Northrop Grumman, said.
‘In the future, Global Hawk is uniquely positioned for additional missions that connect the joint force as one, including persistent high capacity backbone, pseudo-satellite communications coverage, and joint all-domain command and control,’ the company statement said.
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