Aeronautical Systems Center Global Hawk Program Overview Michael Johnston 303 AESG/LG DSN: 787-4047 Comm: 937-255-4047 michael.johnston@wpafb.af.mil
RQ-4A Global Hawk System Global Hawk: High-altitude, long-endurance capability providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information 2
What s Interesting and Unique About Global Hawk? Fully autonomous UAV GPS-aided navigation Preplanned missions include all flight and ISR instructions No man-in-the-loop required In-flight changes made by ground operators Operates for over 28 hours without refueling Operates at altitudes up to 65,000 feet Longer wing span than a Boeing 737 3
Global Hawk Size and Performance Weights - Empty 9,200 - Payload 2,000 - Take-Off Gross 26,750 Length 44 ft Wing Span 116 ft Height 15 ft Altitude 65,000 ft Approximate Endurance 35 hrs Loiter Velocity 342 KTAS Range 12,500 nm 4
Block 10/20 Comparison 90% 90% Airframe Airframe Redesign: Redesign: Block Block 10 10 Block Block 20 20 CHANGE CHANGE Payload Payload Capacity Capacity 2,000 2,000 3,000 3,000 + + 50% 50% Payload Payload Electrical Electrical Power Power 10 10 KVA KVA 25 25 KVA KVA +150% +150% Take-Off Take-Off Gross Gross Weight Weight 26,750 26,750 32,250 32,250 + + 20% 20% Endurance Endurance 28+ 28+ hours hours 28+ 28+ hours hours Common Common systems systems include: include: Engine/Engine Engine/Engine Installation, Installation, C2 C2 Communication Communication Links, Links, Nose Nose Gear, Gear, Air Air Data Data System, System, and and Ice Ice Detectors Detectors Block 20 Block 10 5
Common Ground Segment GENERAL DESIGN Mission Control Element (MCE) Launch and Recovery Element (LRE) Operates up to 3 Global Hawk air vehicles at one time Multiple mission plans Receives imagery from one UAV at a time Mosaics EO/IR Disseminates exploitable data via external theater comms Deploys on 3 C-141s or 2 C-17s or 1 C-5 Comms: SATCOM: UHF/Ku-Band LOS: UHF/VHF/CDL 1
Global Hawk MCE 2
Global Hawk LRE Raytheon Command and Control Mission Planning communications Communication Equipment DGPS Processing Shelter 3
Global Hawk System Requirements/CONOPS ORD KPPs Endurance - 28 hours Airspace Coordination - - worldwide employment Ground Station - operators perform NRT mission control, monitoring and updates/ modifications Satisfy 100% of critical top level IERs UHF SATCOM Payload Sensor Modes EO/IR Spot Pt Target Wide Area Search SAR Spot Wide Area Search GMTI Air Vehicle 60,000 FT Altitude 4
Accomplishments FIRST FLIGHT: Feb 28, 1998 Fully autonomous flight in only 32 months from go-ahead FLIGHTS: Over 240 FLYING HOURS: Over 3100 HIGHEST ALTITUDE: 66,400 ft LONGEST DURATION: 31.5 hours PAYLOAD INTEROPERABILITY: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, NATO WORLD RECORDS (as recognized by NAA) Highest altitude by an autonomous, unmanned jet-powered aircraft: 65,191 ft Longest endurance of an autonomous, unmanned jet-powered aircraft: 30 hrs 24 min First non-stop flight across Pacific Ocean by an autonomous aircraft OEF/OIF ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Over 75 combat missions Exceeds 1500 combat hours Greater than 20,000 ISR images 5
Operation Iraqi Freedom Flew only 3% of air breathing Dominant Imagery Air Power: Intelligence Design For Tomorrow Deliver Today missions and 5% of hi-altitude reconnaissance sorties yet accounted for 55% of the Time Sensitive Targets generated to kill air defense equipment. Over 15 combat missions (as of 23 April 03) Over 350 combat flight hours Over 4,800 Images taken during Operation Southern Watch / Operation Iraqi Freedom (as of 23 April 03) Electro-Optic (EO) 1,296 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles have been proven to be invaluable in providing long dwell surveillance, tracking, positive identification, and collateral and strike damage assessment. Global Hawk, for example, flew sorties approaching 30 hours in duration and imaged over 600 targets during a single mission over Afghanistan. Gen Tommy R. Franks, CINCUSCENTCOM, 2/27/02 1 Public Affairs Approval Number ASC-03-1184
Daytime IR Imagery: March 26, 1999 NAS China Lake, CA Altitude: 61,000+ ft. Slant Range: 22.6 km. C-130 Thermal Shadow AV-8 Harrier Thermal Shadow 2 Approved for Public Release February 20, 2002 2
Global Hawk IR Image Flight AV2-08 26 Mar 99; 1236 PST NAS China Lake, CA Slant Range 22.1 km (12 nmi) Altitude (AGL) 17.9 km (58,850 ft) 3
IR Image: Search of Tora Bora Cave Complex, AF 10 Dec 01 / 0200L Taliban Lookouts on Ridgeline Camp Fires and Cave Entrances Gunship Round Impacts PA Approval #ASC-03-210 RAV0001-049 4
Secondary Cave Venting Primary Hits PA Approval #ASC-03-2109 RAV0001-04 IR Image: BDA from AC-130 Gunship Strike Tora Bora Cave Complex, AF 10 Dec 01 / 0200L 5