Northrop Grumman is gearing up to revolutionize the surveillance of hypersonic system trials by adapting RQ-4 Global Hawk drones into cutting-edge aircraft designed to collect crucial trial data. The aerospace and defense technology company plans to commence integration tests on two newly modified drones, named Range Hawks, later this summer. The company intends to deliver these devices to the Defense Department's Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) by early 2025. Signaling a significant upgrade, these two Range Hawks are the first of 24 retired Air Force Global Hawk drones to be repurposed as airborne test data collectors. Read full Defense news.
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| On October 24, 2018, at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, the 7th Reconnaissance Squadron prepared an RQ-4 Global Hawk for launch, serving as a maintenance and operations hub to provide airborne Global Hawks to pilots at Beale Air Force Base, California (Picture source: US MoD) |