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Unmanned aerial vehicle RQ-4 Global Hawk (USA)
RQ-4 Global Hawk is an American strategic reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle.RQ-4 was developed American company Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical, which is a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman. This UAV made its first flight on February 28, 1998. The first RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV produced was given to naval forces USA (2004). In March 2006, this device began performing combat missions.
The design of the RQ-4 Global Hawk is normal aerodynamic. The wing, as well as the tail unit, are made of a composite material based on carbon fiber. The main material for the manufacture of the fuselage was aluminum alloys. The RQ-4 is powered by an Allison Rolls-Royce AE3007H turbofan engine producing 31.4 kN of thrust.
The entire Global Hawk UAV complex includes the following elements:
— air segment (UAV with sensors, avionics and data transmission systems),
— ground segment,
— service segment,
- staff.
To achieve higher mobility, the developers placed all ground equipment in containers or on special trailers.
The RQ-4 Global Hawk is equipped with the Hughes Integrated Surveillance & Reconnaissance (HISAR) surveillance and reconnaissance system. This system was designed by Hughes specifically for the Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. The complex consists of: a SAR/MTI radar, an optical sensor, and an infrared sensor. Digital information can be transmitted to ground stations in real time within line of sight or using a satellite channel (data transfer rate - 50 Mbit/s).
The SAR/MTI subsystem is capable of the following tasks:
— scanning and detection of objects within a radius of 100 km,
— surveillance with a resolution of 6 meters over a strip 37 km wide and 20 to 110 km long (combined mode),
— the radar provides a resolution of 1.8 meters over an area of 10 square meters. km (detail mode).
The day camera can operate in two modes:
1) scanning a strip whose width reaches 10 km,
2) obtaining a clear image of an area of 2×2 km.
The resulting images are processed directly on board the UAV. They arrive at the ground station in the form of separate frames, where a full image is collected and prepared for its further use.
The -4 Global Hawk was produced in the following versions:
— AV: UAV, which was bought by NASA in 2007 in order to explore the atmosphere; the device could carry 907 kg of research equipment and rise to a height of 20 km; battery life – 30 hours;
— RQ-4A Global Hawk/Block 10: main modification; a total of 7 devices were constructed, which were decommissioned in 2011;
— RQ-4B Global Hawk: presented in 3 versions Block 20 (increased payload and wing span; flight range - 8700 nautical miles), Block 30 (adopted into service by the American army in August 2011), Block 40 (the device was equipped with multiplatform radar MP-RTIP);
— Euro Hawk: German version of the RQ-4, designed by Northrop Grumman and the European aerospace concern EADS; was released in 2009; Germany spent $559 million on development;
— MQ-4C Triton: maritime patrol modification of the RQ-4; The UAV is equipped with an X-band radar;
— Polar Hawk: version of the RQ-4 UAV for the Canadian Armed Forces; Able to work in particularly cold conditions.
In January 2012, the US military decided to stop purchasing the Block 30 modification due to the high cost of maintenance. America decided to allocate $1.2 billion for the purchase of 6 RQ-4 in the Block 40 version. As of 2012, the United States had 20 RQ-4 Global Hawk drones in service. It is worth noting that NATO purchased 5 RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 40 in 2012.
RQ-4 Global Hawk- strategic UAV. The first flight took place on February 28, 1998 from the US Air Force base in California. The first Global Hawk was delivered to the US Navy in 2004 and began combat missions in March 2006.
RQ-4 performed according to normal aerodynamic design. The wing is made entirely of carbon fiber composite material. The V-shaped tail is also made of composite materials. The fuselage is made of aluminum alloys. Its wingspan is approximately 35 meters, its length is 13.3 meters, and its take-off weight is close to 15 tons. The device can patrol for 30 hours at an altitude of up to 18,000 meters. According to press reports: the price of the aircraft is $35 million, fully equipped - $123 million. Manufactured by Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical (USA).
To increase mobility, all ground equipment is placed in containers or on special trailers. Radar, daytime and infrared cameras can operate simultaneously. Daytime electro-optical digital camera manufactured by Hughes and provides images with high resolution. The sensor (1024 x 1024 pixels) is paired with a telephoto lens focal length 1750 mm. Depending on the program, there are two operating modes. The first is scanning a strip 10 km wide. The second is a detailed image of a 2 x 2 km area. The synthetic aperture radar is manufactured by Raytheon (Hughes) and is designed to operate in all weather conditions. In normal operation, it provides a radar image of the area with a resolution of 1 meter. In one day, an image can be obtained from an area of 138,000 km² at a distance of 200 km. In “spotlight” mode, surveying an area measuring 2 x 2 km, more than 1900 images with a resolution of 0.3 m can be obtained in 24 hours. Global Hawk has a broadband satellite communication channel and a communication channel within the line-of-sight zone.
There are also modifications without reconnaissance equipment. Its place is taken by bomb bays.
It is also assumed that the RQ-4 is capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
Design
The device is equipped with an Allison Rolls-Royce AE3007H turboprop engine with a thrust of 31.4 kN and is capable of carrying a payload weighing up to 900 kg. The fuselage is made of aluminum and is a semi-monocoque. The wings are made of lightweight, high-strength composite. The Global Hawk is the first UAV to receive FAA approval to fly solo and fly within U.S. civil air corridors without notice.
The Global Hawk UAV complex consists of an air segment, a ground segment, a service segment, as well as trained personnel. The air segment directly includes UAVs with various sensors, avionics and data transmission systems. The ground segment consists of launch and recovery equipment (Launch and Recovery Element), ground control system (Mission Control Element) with built-in ground communications equipment.
The integrated sensor system is manufactured by Raytheon and includes a radar with electro-optical (OE) and infrared (IR) sensors. Both the optical-electronic and infrared sensors can operate simultaneously with the radar. Each of the sensors can operate both in review mode and in magnification of certain areas. The radar has the ability to detect ground moving objects (moving target indicator - MTI) and transmit information about such objects (coordinates and speed) in text messages. Images received from radar and OE/IR sensors are processed on board the UAV and transmitted to the ground station in the form of separate frames. The ground station collects images from the frames and prepares them for further use.
For navigation, an inertial system with corrections from GPS is used. Global Hawk is designed to fly autonomously and transmit intelligence data via satellite links (Ku and VHF bands) to a ground station. In the case of using a UAV in line of sight, it is possible to directly transmit data to a suitable ground station.
The ground segment, consisting of launch and recovery equipment (Launch and Recovery Element) and ground control system (Mission Control Element), is also manufactured by Raytheon. MCE is used for task setting, control and monitoring, image processing and transmission. LRE is designed to launch and search for UAVs. The LRE includes equipment to calculate GPS differential corrections to determine the precise navigation position of the UAV during takeoff and landing. The rest of the time, the main navigation aid is the inertial system (with corrections from GPS). During missions, the MCE and LRE may be located in different locations (the MCE is usually located at the command location). Both systems included in the ground segment are located in fortified shelters, with external antennas for direct and satellite communications.
Global Hawk is equipped with an integrated surveillance and reconnaissance system (Hughes Integrated Surveillance & Reconnaissance - HISAR). This is a simplified and cheaper version of the ASARS-2 complex developed by Hughes for the Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. This complex is also used on board the army UAV RC-7B and is sold on the international market. The complex includes SAR/MTI, as well as optical and infrared sensors. All three subsystems are controlled and their data is processed by a single processor. Digital data can be transmitted to the ground in real time within line of sight or via satellite at speeds up to 50 Mbit/s. The SAR/MTI subsystem operates in the X band and provides:
Scan and detect moving targets within a 100 km radius
The combined SAR/MTI mode provides the ability to observe with a resolution of 6 meters over swaths 37 km wide and lengths from 20 to 110 km.
In detail mode, the radar provides a resolution of 1.8 meters over an area of 10 square meters. km.
It is in service with the US and German Armed Forces.
RQ-4 Global Hawk is a US-made strategic reconnaissance UAV.
On February 28, 1998, he made his first flight from an air force base in California. In 2004, the first aircraft was transferred to the US Navy. In March 2006, he began performing combat missions.
For 30 hours, the device can patrol at an altitude of up to 18 thousand meters. Created by Teledyne Ryan Aeronautica - an American company ( subsidiary from Northrop Grumman).
The US Air Force in January 2012 decided to freeze the purchase of RQ-4 Global Hawk in such a modification as Block 30. Previously accepted aircraft are planned to be transferred to reserve. The main reason is the expensive maintenance of the devices, which significantly exceeds the costs of using the Lockheed U-2.
Then, in 2013, the US Department of Defense decided to allocate $1.2 billion for the purchase of the 6 RQ-4 aircraft in the Block 40 modification from a military budget of $525 billion.
Design of the RQ-4 Global Hawk
Glider
The RQ-4 is made according to a normal aerodynamic design. The wing consists of a composite material, which is built on the basis of carbon fiber. The V-shaped tail consists of composite materials. The fuselage is a semi-monocoque and consists of aluminum alloys. The length is 13.3 m, the wingspan is 35 m, and the take-off weight is approximately 15 tons.
Engine
The aircraft has an Allison Rolls-Royce AE3007H turboprop engine with a thrust of 31.4 kN and can carry a payload weighing up to 900 kilograms.
Equipment
The aircraft package consists of a ground and air segment, a maintenance segment and trained personnel. As for the air segment, it includes UAVs with various sensors, data transmission systems and avionics. The ground segment consists of maintenance and launch equipment, a ground control system with ground communication equipment. All ground mobility equipment is located on special trailers or in containers.
The RQ-4 Global Hawk is equipped with the HISAR integrated intelligence and surveillance system. This is a cheaper, simplified version of the ASARS-2, created by Hughes for the Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. This complex is used on board the RC-7B UAV and is aimed at international market. The complex also includes infrared and optical sensors, SAR/MTI radar. These subsystems can be used simultaneously, and their data is processed by one processor. They can be transmitted in real time to the ground via satellite or line-of-sight (50 Mbit/s).
The radar was developed by Raytheon (Hughes). It is able to operate without failure in any weather conditions. It allows you to obtain a radar image in normal operation with a resolution of 1 m. According to statistics, you can obtain an image from an area of 138 thousand square meters per day. m at a distance of 200 km. In point mode, surveying an area of 2x2 kilometers, per day you can get more than 1900 images with a resolution of 0.3 m Global Hawk. The SAR/MTI subsystem operates in the X-band and is capable of providing:
- detection and scanning of a moving target within 100 km;
- in detail mode, the resolution is 1.8 m on an area of 10 square meters. km;
- observation in combined mode with a resolution of 6 m over a strip with a length of 20 to 110 km and a width of 37 km.
The radar can detect ground moving objects and provide data transmission about them (speed and coordinates) in text messages.
The electro-optical camera is made by Hughes. With its help you can obtain high-quality images. The sensor is paired with a telephoto lens that has a telephoto lens with a distance of 1750mm. There are 2 operating modes: scanning a 10 km strip, imaging an area of 2x2 km.
The image from the OE/IR sensors and radar is processed on board the UAV and transmitted in the form of separate frames to the ground station. In turn, the ground station consists of image frames and prepares them for later use.
A corrected inertial system is used for navigation. Global Hawk is used for autonomous flight and transmission of intelligence data via satellite channels to a ground station (VHF and Ku bands). If the aircraft is to be used in line of sight, it is possible to transmit data directly to a suitable ground station.
RQ-4 Global Hawk video
The ground segment, consisting of maintenance equipment, launch equipment and a ground control system, is also produced by Raytheon. MCEs are designed for setting tasks, monitoring and control, transmission and image processing. The LRE is used to launch the RQ-4 Global Hawk as well as search. It includes LRE equipment for calculating GPS system corrections, which allows determining the exact position of the UAV during landing and takeoff. The rest of the time, the main navigation aid is the inertial system. During missions, the LRE and MCE may be located in different locations (usually the MCE is located at the command location). These systems are located in fortified shelters and have external antennas for satellite and direct communications.
RQ-4 Global Hawk modifications
AV – NASA in 2007 acquired two UAVs for atmospheric research GloPac. In 2009, the refurbishment was completed. The modified aircraft could rise to a height of 20 km with heavy scientific equipment on board (907 kg).
RQ-4A Global Hawk represents a basic modification.
− Block 10: A total of seven UAVs were built, which were decommissioned in 2011.
- RQ-4B Global Hawk. This includes three modifications:
− Block 20,
−Block 30,
− Block 40.
RQ-4E Euro Hawk is a German modification of the RQ-4, developed by the aerospace concern EADS and the Northrop Grumman corporation. In October 2009 it was introduced to the market.
MQ-4C Triton is a maritime patrol aircraft based on the RQ-4 Global Hawk. It has an X-band radar designed to detect different surface ships, and is one of the US Navy's advanced maritime reconnaissance missions.
Polar Hawk− modification that will be used by Canadian forces. It is based on Block 30. The aircraft is adapted to operate even in very cold conditions. It can rise to a height of up to 18.3 thousand meters and conduct continuous surveillance for 33 hours.
Applications of the RQ-4 Global Hawk
RQ-4 Global Hawk is the first UAV to receive permission federal administration US aviation to send a flight mission independently and fly using civil air corridors without additional notifications.
Global Hawk cost and potential operators
The price of the aircraft is estimated at up to $140 million (this does not include R&D costs). An hour of flight costs $31 thousand.
Canada is a potential buyer who wants to use the aircraft to monitor remote areas of the Arctic. Moreover, the Global Hawk will complement or replace the patrol CP-140 Aurora.
Japan was interested in three Global Hawks.
Spain has plans to purchase aircraft and has already signed contracts with Northrop Grumman.
New Zealand is also making plans for the RQ-4 Global Hawk, eyeing it for potential surveillance of the Pacific Islands and Southern Ocean. The modern Kahu drone and IAI Heron can also be used for these purposes.
RQ-4 Global Hawk characteristics:
Crew: 0 on board (3 Remote remote control: rocket engine pilot; MCE pilot and sensor operator)
Length: 47.6 m (14.5 m)
Wingspan: 130.9 ft (39.9 m)
Height: 15.3 m (4.7 m)
Unladen weight: 14950 kg (6781 kg)
Gross weight: 32250 kg (14628 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce F137-RR-100 turbofan, 7,600 lbf (34 kN) thrust
Cruise speed: 357 mph (310 kn; 575 km/h)
Range: 8,700 miles (7,560 NMI; 14,001 km)
Endurance: 28 hours Ceiling: 60,000 m (18,288 m)
- Regular design - Tier II Plus
- Low-visibility design - Tier III Minus.
Global Hawk won the competition.
The Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical (TRA) RQ-4A Global Hawk UAV project was selected as the winner in the competition for the best UAV under the Tier II+ program in May 1995. The competition lasted 6 months, five applicant companies took part in it. It was not by chance that Teledyne Ryan won the competition. She was one of the first in the United States to develop UAVs. Its long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles performed well during the Vietnam War (Firebee). During Cold War they were quite successful in reconnaissance missions in China (Compass Arrow). The Global Hawk system is being created by a group of companies consisting of Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical (San Diego), E-Systems (Falls Church, Virginia), Hughes, Loral, and other companies working on various subsystems of this UAV.Stages of program implementation.
Stage 1 Fiscal year 1998 - production of two aircraft, two sets of on-board equipment and equipment and a ground control station. Start of UAV flight testing. Stage 2 Started in 1999. The US Atlantic Command has begun intensive testing of these UAVs. For these purposes, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), which manages this program in the interests of DARO (Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office), ordered 3 more Global Hawks UAVs (phase 2B). Initially it was planned to have 8 UAVs, but the cost of the second stage of the program instead of $164 million increased to more than $220, so they decided to save money. However, according to the manufacturer, despite the reduction in funding, Global Hawk will meet all the requirements of the project. The accident of the Global Hawk UAV in March 1999 made significant adjustments to the project implementation plans. On at the moment It was decided to limit ourselves to three UAVs. Test flights are planned in Canada and Australia. If the tests are successful and the Global Hawk UAV meets all the requirements, then the expected order may reach 50 aircraft. On average, the cost of one Global Hawk UAV in 1994 prices will be $10 million, not taking into account the cost of spare parts and supply costs. The capabilities of the Global Hawk UAV aroused great interest not only among the American military, but also among the military of Australia, Great Britain, Israel and Saudi Arabia. This holds great promise for Teledyne Ryan, which has many other uses for this "King of UAVs": for example, it could be used as a repeater, as a high-altitude research laboratory or as a carrier of anti-missile weapons to combat ballistic missiles.First flight.
The Global Hawk made its first flight on 02/28/1998 from Edwards Air Force Base, California. Took off at a speed of 200 km/h from runway No. 08, the flight lasted 56 minutes at a speed of 280 km/h. An altitude of 9750 meters was reached. Due to the fact that the landing gear did not lock securely in the retracted position and the instrument compartment temperature sensors showed too low a temperature, the testers decided to lower the flight altitude to 6,100 meters and shorten the flight duration. After transmitting the command to land, the UAV descended on runway No. 22 at a speed of 0.7 m/s. For braking on the landing strip, brake flaps were used in addition to conventional brakes. The run was 1200 meters. Thanks to the use of a differential GPS navigation system, the deviation from the runway axis after landing turned out to be less than 50 cm. So the tests began. By the end of the second stage, it was planned to make 15 flights with a total duration of 250 hours. For these purposes, the second Global Hawk UAV was assembled in San Diego. It was equipped with a full set of onboard equipment, including reconnaissance. The first flight took place on November 20, 1998.Design.
Made according to a normal aerodynamic design with a low wing of high aspect ratio. The wing, manufactured by Boeing, is entirely made of carbon fiber composite material. This made it possible to create a thin wing with a relative aspect ratio of 25. The wing has at least two external suspension points, designed for a load weighing up to 450 kg each. Three-point landing gear with nose wheel. There is one wheel on the nose landing gear, and two wheels on the underwing landing gear. The semi-monocoque fuselage is manufactured by Teledyne Ryan from aluminum alloys. It consists of three main parts. The instrument compartment is located at the front. There, under a large radio-transparent radome, there is a parabolic satellite antenna with a diameter of 1.22 meters. All reconnaissance equipment is located in the same compartment. In the middle section there is a large fuel tank and in the tail section there is an Allison AE 3007H jet turbofan engine. The engine is borrowed, almost unchanged, from business class aircraft Citation-X and EMB-145. After making minor changes to the control system, the engine operates stably at altitudes of up to 21,300 meters. The V-tail, manufactured by Aurora Flight Sciences, is also made from composite materials.Intelligence equipment.
The UAV itself is a platform for various reconnaissance equipment. Three subsystems of reconnaissance equipment are installed simultaneously on the Global Hawk. They operate at different wavelengths, can operate simultaneously, and differ from each other in the following ways: Synthetic aperture radar is manufactured by Raytheon (Hughes) and is designed to operate in all weather conditions. In normal operation, it provides a radar image of the area with a resolution of 1 meter. In one day, an image can be obtained from an area of 138,000 km 2 at a distance of 200 km. In the "spotlight" mode, surveying an area measuring 2 x 2 km, more than 1900 images with a resolution of 0.3 m can be obtained in 24 hours. In the third mode (X-Band), the radar can track a moving target if it speed more than 7 km/h. Two radar antennas (located on the sides in the lower part of the instrument compartment of the fuselage, length 1.21 m) and the necessary electronic equipment weighing 290 kg consume 6 kW of electricity. The daytime electro-optical digital camera is manufactured by Hughes and provides high-resolution images. The sensor (1024 x 1,024 pixels) is paired with a telephoto lens with a focal length of 1750 mm. Depending on the program, there are two operating modes. The first is scanning a strip 10 km wide. The second is a detailed image of a 2 x 2 km area. An IR sensor (640 x 480 pixels) is used to obtain night images. It uses the same telephoto lens. The lens can be rotated 80 degrees.Communication systems.
Radar, daylight and infrared cameras can operate simultaneously, which allows you to obtain a large amount of information. Daytime / infrared camera has an information output speed of 40 million pixels per second, which, depending on the color resolution, is 400 Mbit/sec. The on-board information acquisition and storage system compresses the received digital images and records them. Several communication channels can be used to transmit information to consumers. The satellite channel transmits information at a speed of 50 Mbit/s. For these purposes, a Ku-band satellite communication system (SATCOM) is used, the antenna diameter is 1.22 meters. By direct channel UHF band can transmit information at a speed of 137 Mbit/s. The information is sent to the ground flight control station and to the takeoff/landing control station. In the future, users without a connection to a ground station will be able to receive images directly from the Global Hawk UAV.Integration into existing military information systems.
Global Hawk will be integrated into existing systems tactical air reconnaissance (flight planning, data processing, operation and information dissemination). If it is connected to systems such as the Joint Intelligence Sustainment System (JDISS) and the Global Command and Control System (GCCS), the images will be transmitted to the operational commander for immediate use. Data received from the UAV will be used to detect targets, to plan strike operations for reconnaissance, as well as to solve other problems. If Global Hawk operates in the interests of the US Army, then the processing of the resulting images will be carried out by the Enhanced Tactical Radar Correlator (ETRAC) and the Modernized Imagery Exploitation System (MIES) (or their successors). If in the interests of the US Air Force, then with the help of the Contingency Airborne Reconnaissance System (CARS); if in the interests of the US Navy and Marine Corps then - Joint Services Imagery Processing System-Navy (JSIPS-N). The Common Ground Station (CGS) can work with images processed by any of these systems.Self-defense means.
The program requires that the UAV, without the use of stealth technologies, have a fairly high survivability. For self-protection, the Global Hawk is equipped with an exposure detector, AN/ALR 89 RWR radars and jammers. If necessary, it can use the ALE-50 towed jammer. Experiments to simulate real-life situations have shown that the Global Hawk can make more than 200 sorties without damage if its flight route is planned taking into account the current situation (outside of active combat zones). In case of danger, the UAV can call for help by contacting the nearest air patrol or AWACS aircraft.Mobility.
To increase mobility, all ground equipment is placed in containers or on special trailers. The ground equipment includes:- Takeoff/landing control station
- Flight Operations Control Station
- Trailer with antenna equipment (SATCOM)
- Trailer with satellite dish
- Trailer with cables
- Two generators
- Two additional generators
- Power equipment set
- Engine stand with engine
- Spare parts kit
- UAV Maintenance Kit
- The flight control station and takeoff/landing control station are located in separate containers measuring 2.4x2.4x7.2m and 2.4x2.4x3.25m, respectively. For ease of movement, the containers are equipped with retractable wheels. The Global Hawk UAV ground equipment complex can be transported by air by three C-141B, or two C-17, or one C-5B military transport aircraft.
Accidents.
On March 29, 1999, at 10:14 a.m., the Global Hawk No. 2 UAV lost control during a test flight and crashed near Searles Lake. This occurred at an altitude of 12,500 meters after an abort signal was given from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The UAV began performing a programmed flight termination maneuver and went into a tailspin. This accident delayed the program for at least two months. Manufacturing a replacement for the crashed UAV will cost $30 million. From 1994 to March 1999, $280 million has already been invested in the Global Hawk program. On December 6, 1999, after a successful flight and landing at the US Air Force Base Edwards, California, an incident occurred with the Global Hawk UAV No. 3 . While taxiing on the main runway of the airbase, a wheel on the nose landing gear burst while turning. The UAV did not receive any damage.| UAV RQ-4A Global Hawk | ||
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical (USA) | |
| Dimensions, mm (ft) | ||
| UAV RQ-4A Global Hawk | ||
| Fuselage | Length | 13530(44.4) |
| Width | 1460(4.8) | |
| Wing | Wingspan | 35420(116.2) |
| Area, m 2 (ft 2) | 50.2(540) | |
| Elongation | 25 | |
| V-tail | Length (each) | 3470(11.4) |
| Area (each), m 2 (ft 2) | 4.98(42.8) | |
| Elongation | 3.0 | |
| Camber angle, degrees | 50 | |
| Masses | ||
| UAV RQ-4A Global Hawk | ||
| Maximum take-off weight, kg (lb.) | 11622(25,600) | |
| Empty weight, kg(lb) | 4177(9200) | |
| Load capacity, kg (lbs.) | 863(1,900) | |
| Fuel weight, kg(lb) | 6583(14,500) | |
| Power point | ||
| UAV RQ-4A Global Hawk | ||
| Engine make | Allison AE3007H | |
| Type | jet turbofan | |
| Static thrust, kgf(lb) | 3450(7,600) | |
| Fuel brand | JP-8 | |
| Materials | ||
| UAV RQ-4A Global Hawk | ||
| Construction materials | aluminum and composites | |
| Flight characteristics: | ||
| UAV RQ-4A Global Hawk | ||
| Flight duration, h | 38 | |
| Range, km (miles) | 4445(2400) (+ 24h observation) | |
| Maximum speed, km/h (knots) | 639(345) | |
| Landing speed, km/h (knots) | 176(95) | |
| Ceiling, m(ft) | 19800(65,000) | |
| Number of waypoints | 999 | |
- X-band
- Ku-band Data Rate(s) 9.6/9.6 kbps (down/up)
- 47.8/0.2 Mbps (down/up)
- 47.8/1.5 Mbps (down/up)
The RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV program began in May 1995, when the Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical (TRA) project was declared the winner of the competition for the best UAV under the Tier II+ program. The competition lasted 6 months, five applicant companies took part in it.
The new drone, among other things, was considered as a replacement for the Lockheed U-2 long-range high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, which had been in operation since 1956.
Teledyne Ryan already had experience designing drones. The long-range high-altitude reconnaissance AQM-34 Firebee created by this company worked well in Vietnam; several hundred of these drones were built.
In 1999, the company was absorbed by Northrop Grumman and became its structural division.
The RQ-4 is made according to a normal aerodynamic design with a low-mounted, high-aspect ratio wing. The wing, manufactured by Boeing, is entirely made of carbon fiber composite material.
This made it possible to create a thin, lightweight and durable wing of high aspect ratio. The wing has at least two external suspension points, designed to carry a load weighing up to 450 kg each. Three-point landing gear with nose wheel. There is one wheel on the nose landing gear, and two wheels on the underwing landing gear. The semi-monocoque fuselage is manufactured by Teledyne Ryan from aluminum alloys. It consists of three main parts. The instrument compartment is located at the front. There, under a large radio-transparent radome, there is a parabolic satellite antenna with a diameter of 1.22 meters. All reconnaissance equipment is located in the same compartment. In the middle section there is a large fuel tank and in the tail section there is an Allison AE 3007H jet turbofan engine. The engine is borrowed, almost unchanged, from business class aircraft Citation-X and EMB-145. After making minor changes to the control system, the engine operates stably at altitudes of up to 21,300 meters.
The V-tail, manufactured by Aurora Flight Sciences, is also made from composite materials. The wingspan is approximately 35 meters, the length is 13.3 meters, and the take-off weight is close to 15 tons. The device can patrol for 30 hours at an altitude of up to 18,000 meters.
According to specialists from the development company Northrop Grumman, the Global Hawk can cover the distance from the Sigonella airbase to Johannesburg and back with one gas station.
The Global Hawk first flew on February 28, 1998, from Edwards Air Force Base.
In the first flight, an altitude of 9750 meters was reached at a speed of 280 km/h. Thanks to the use of a differential GPS navigation system, the deviation from the runway axis after landing was less than 0.5 meters.
Google Earth satellite image: Global Hawk at Edwards AFB
The first 7 vehicles built were created as part of the Advanced Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program, and were intended to evaluate the capabilities of performing special tasks. The global situation ensured high demand for this UAV, and the first prototypes were immediately sent to Afghanistan.
Production of the RQ-4 Global Hawk was carried out in parallel with ongoing development. Nine Block 10 UAVs (sometimes called the RQ-4A model) were produced, two of which were immediately purchased by the United States Navy. Three devices were sent to Iraq. The last UAVs of the first production modification, Block 10, were received on June 26, 2006.
Further, within the framework of the RQ-4B model, the following appeared:
Block 20 - its payload capacity and wingspan were increased (up to 39.8 m), the flight range was reduced to 8,700 nautical miles.
Block 30 - a modified version, officially adopted by the US Air Force in August 2011.
Block 40 - made its first flight on November 16, 2009. The main difference from previous modifications of Block 20/30 is the multi-platform MP-RTIP radar.
The cost of one machine is about $35 million (including development, the cost reaches $123.2 million). To date, about 40 drones of all modifications have been assembled.
The UAV is used as a platform for various reconnaissance equipment. Three subsystems of reconnaissance equipment are installed on the Global Hawk. They operate at different wavelengths and can operate simultaneously.
The synthetic aperture radar is manufactured by Raytheon and is designed to operate in all weather conditions. In normal mode, it provides a radar image of the area with a resolution of 1 meter. In one day, an image can be obtained from an area of 138,000 km2 at a distance of 200 km. In point mode, surveying an area measuring 2 x 2 km, more than 1900 images with a resolution of 0.3 m can be obtained in 24 hours. Using the “Doppler effect”, the radar can track a moving target if its speed is more than 7 km/h.
Two radar antennas (located on the sides in the lower part of the fuselage instrument compartment, length 1.21 m). Electronic equipment weighing 290 kg consumes 6 kW of electricity.
The daytime electro-optical digital camera is manufactured by Hughes and provides high-resolution images. The sensor (1024 x 1,024 pixels) is paired with a telephoto lens with a focal length of 1750 mm. Depending on the program, there are two operating modes. The first is scanning a strip 10 km wide. The second is a detailed image of a 2 x 2 km area. An IR sensor (640 x 480 pixels) is used to obtain night images. It uses the same telephoto lens. The lens can be rotated 80 degrees.
Global Hawk and its EO/IR sensor unit
Radar, daylight and infrared cameras can operate simultaneously, which allows you to obtain a large amount of information. The combined day/night infrared camera has an information output speed of 40 million pixels per second, which, depending on the color resolution, is 400 Mbit/sec. The on-board information acquisition and storage system compresses the received digital images and records them.
Several communication channels can be used to transmit information to consumers. The satellite channel transmits information at a speed of 50 Mbit/s. For these purposes, the SATCOM satellite communication system is used, the antenna diameter is 1.22 meters. Using a UHF radio channel within line of sight, you can transmit information at a speed of 137 Mbit/s.
The information is sent to the ground flight control station and to the takeoff/landing control station. Users without a connection to a ground station will be able to receive images directly from the Global Hawk UAV.
Global Hawk is integrated into existing tactical air reconnaissance systems (flight planning, data processing, operation and information dissemination). It is connected to the Joint Intelligence Support System (JDISS) and the Global Command and Control System (GCCS). The resulting images can be transmitted to the operational commander for immediate use. Data received from UAVs is used to detect targets, to plan strike operations for reconnaissance, as well as to solve other problems.
A UAV without the use of stealth technologies should have a fairly high survivability. To ensure this, Global Hawk is equipped with an exposure detector, AN/ALR 89 RWR radars and jamming stations. If necessary, it can use the ALE-50 towed jammer. Real-life simulation experiments have shown that the Global Hawk can average more than 200 combat missions if its flight route is planned taking into account the current situation (outside of active combat zones).
The Global Hawk ground segment includes the mission control unit and launch and maintenance elements manufactured by Raytheon. The job control unit is used to plan, control, process and transmit images. The launch and maintenance system provides precise differential correction of the Global Positioning Satellite System for precise takeoff and landing, while the flight uses GPS with an inertial navigation system. Due to the separation of the elements of the ground station, each part of it can be located in a different part of the world. The job control unit is often located together with the main control point. Both elements are placed in a military container along with an internal antenna for direct communication and satellite communication equipment.
RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs were used during combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. Most likely they will be used during the operation against Syria.
Currently, the infrastructure is being equipped and equipment is being installed for the use of RQ-4 Global Hawk strategic high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft in different parts of the world.
Google Earth satellite image: Global Hawk and U-2 reconnaissance aircraft at Baele airbase
At the first stage, the task was set for their effective use in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. For this purpose, it is planned to use the US Air Force base on the island of Sicily, on the territory of the Italian Air Force Base “Sigonella”.
The choice of the RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV as the main means of conducting aerial reconnaissance and surveillance, including in Europe and Africa, is by no means accidental. Today, this drone with a wingspan reaching 39.9 m can, without exaggeration, be called the de facto uncrowned “king of drones.” The device has a take-off weight of about 14.5 tons and carries a payload of more than 1,300 kilograms. It is capable of remaining in the air without landing or refueling for up to 36 hours, while maintaining a speed of about 570 kilometers per hour. The ferry range of the UAV exceeds 22 thousand kilometers.
In addition to military reconnaissance missions, the RQ-4 Global Hawk is actively used for monitoring environment for scientific purposes.
Several machines are used by NASA at Dreiden scientific center for high-altitude research flights. The UAV has been used to measure the ozone layer and the transport of pollution across the world's oceans.
In August and September 2010, one of the devices participated in NASA's Genesis and Rapid Intensification Program, as part of studies of the Atlantic basin for the occurrence of hurricanes. It was equipped with weather sensors, including a Ku-band radar, a lightning display sensor and cameras from which a parachute radiosonde is ejected.
The drones may have been used for Antarctic exploration when they were based and operating in Chile.
During disaster response, flights were made over the United States to assess damage from Hurricane Ike and the California fires.
US Navy Global Hawk photograph of fires in Northern California, 2008.
Some US allies have expressed interest in acquiring the Global Hawk.
Germany chose the RQ-4B to replace the outdated Breguet Atlantic patrol aircraft, christening it Euro Hawk. The vehicle retained the original airframe, but received reconnaissance equipment from EADS. The sensor set includes 6 wing hangers.
The EuroHawk officially entered service on October 8, 2009, and made its first flight on June 29, 2010. It underwent several months of flight testing at Edwards AFB before beginning to fly in Germany in May 2011. It was initially assigned to WTD61, Ingolstadt Airport. Manching.
The cost of the first 5 vehicles was 430 million € for development and the same amount for purchase.
Canada plans to replace the CP-140 Aurora maritime and land surveillance patrol aircraft. To work in the Arctic, in conditions of extremely low temperatures, Northrop Grumman specialists created a modification of the Polar Hawk.
In addition, negotiations are underway on supplies with Australia, Spain and Japan. Potential buyer is also India.
Based on materials:
http://www.northropgrumman.com/capabilities/globalhawk/Pages/default.aspx
http://warinform.ru/News-view-354.html
http://airspot.ru/catalogue/item/ryan-rq-4-global-hawk
http://tech-life.org/arms/86-rq-4-global-hawk
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