Northrop Grumman Corporation will begin production of four RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for the Republic of Korea’s Air Force. The systems will provide valuable wide-area intelligence gathering capabilities to military commanders so they can make more informed decisions.
Under a contract awarded Dec. 16, the company will work closely with the U.S. Air Force to deliver the systems starting in 2018.
« It’s clear that U.S. allies have seen the critical role Global Hawk plays for the U.S. Air Force around the world, » said Mary Petryszyn, vice president, International, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. « The system will be a vital link in the Republic of Korea’s increasing leadership role in defending the peninsula. »
The contract is for four aircraft, two ground stations and supporting equipment that allows Republic of Korea Air Force operators to control and maintain the system.
« This is a significant achievement for Northrop Grumman because it represents the first time a Global Hawk has been sold to an allied nation in the Asia-Pacific region under the Foreign Military Sales process, » said Mary Petryszyn.
The contract announcement follows significant procurement decisions made by the Japanese and Australian governments to purchase the Global Hawk and the MQ-4C Triton – comprising Northrop Grumman’s family of high-altitude, long-endurance UAS.
Photo credit © Northrop Grumman
