EURO
HAWK® is an high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE), signals intelligence
(SIGINT) unmanned aircraft system based on the RQ-4 Global Hawk produced
by Northrop Grumman for the German Bundeswehr.
Within the context of a rapidly changing threat environment, the German
and other NATO Military Forces have redefined their tasks and how they
are being addressed. In future conflicts, achieving information superiority
becomes increasingly challenging. The direct and unrestricted access
to high performance ISR systems will be indispensable.
To answer this need, EADS and Northrop Grumman suggest a transatlantic
solution to fill this capability gap within the European defence forces.
A Euro Hawk system, tailored to the needs of the German and European
customer will be based on,
- Global Hawk high altitude long endurance system developed by Northrop
Grumman, flight-tested and combat proven with the US Air Force.
- German/European Sensor/mission system and exploitation technology
provided by EADS. To support the system most efficiently, a European
maintenance concept will be developed. |
Design |
The
wings and tail of the aircraft are of graphite composite construction.
The V-configuration of the tail, built by Aurora Flight Sciences,
provides a low radar and infrared signature. The wings, constructed
by Vought Aircraft Industries, have a span of 7.3 m, with hard
points for external pods up to 1,000lb each. Vought and ATK
are fabricating an enhanced wing, one of a number of system
improvements to enable Global Hawk to carry an increased payload.
The aluminium fuselage contains pressurised payload and avionics
compartments. Honeywell Aerospace, Torrance, California, supplied
the environmental control systems. The landing gear is supplied
by Heroux Inc. of Quebec, Canada. The nose gear which is a derivative
of the F-5 design is height adjustable to suit the runway characteristics.
The landing gear automatically retracts at an altitude of 1,220
m.
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Propulsion |
The
Rolls-Royce AE3007H turbofan core engine specifically developed
for the Global Hawk program is a growth version of the AE3007
engine, currently in use in the Citation X and the Embraer Regional
Jet. In the 8,000- pound thrust class, the engine is a high
bypass, two spool, axial flow engine, flat rated at 7,580 pounds
of thrust, uninstalled, sea level static to 113 degrees Fahrenheit
ambient temperature. |
Accessories |
The
system combines advanced technology sensors with extensive range
and the endurance to remain on station for long periods of time.
High-resolution sensors that can look through adverse weather
day or night from an altitude of 65,000 ft, can conduct surveillance
over an area the size of Austria and Croatia combined, in just
24 hours. These proven capabilities are paving the way for Global
Hawk and other UAVs to assume missions suited for autonomous
aircraft - augmenting manned aircraft and contributing to national
security in ways not imagined a few years ago.
The EURO HAWK® will carry a new SIGINT mission system developed
by EADS Deutschland GmbH (Cassidian) and integrated in Manching,
Germany.
|
Combat
use |
Euro
Hawk can carry out reconnaissance missions in all types of operations.
The 14,000nm range and 42-hour endurance of the air vehicle,
combined with satellite and line-of-sight communication links
to ground forces, permits worldwide operation of the system.
High-resolution sensors, including visible and infrared electro-optical
systems and synthetic aperture radar, will conduct surveillance
over an area of 40,000nm² to an altitude of 65,000ft in
24 hours.
The Raytheon Intelligence & Information Systems mission
control ground station for the Euro Hawk UAS includes a shelter
measuring 2.43 m × 2.43 m × 7.3 m housing the communications,
command and control, mission planning and image processing computers
with four workstations for the mission control staff and officers.
The mission control centre has data up- and down-links to the
Global Hawk vehicle directly and via the Ku satellite and the
UHF satellite systems. The Raytheon launch and recovery ground
station is housed in an 2.43 m x 2.43 m x 3 m shelter equipped
with two workstations and the launch and recovery mission computers.
The launch and recovery station has up- and down- data communications
links to the Global Hawk vehicle and to the UHF communications
satellite.
The complete mission control element (MCE) and the launch and
recovery element (LRE) is transportable in a single load on
the C-5B transporter aircraft and in less than two loads on
the C-17 transporter.
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Specifications |
Back
to top |
Type |
High
altitude long endurance Unmanned Aircraft System
UAS |
Country
users |
Germany |
Designer
Country |
United
States - Germany
|
Accessories |
High-resolution
sensors, including visible and infrared electro-optical
systems and synthetic aperture radar |
Operators |
? |
|
Engine |
Rolls-Royce
AE3007H turbofan
a |
Weight |
14,628
kg |
Altitude |
18,300
m |
Endurance |
30,5
hr
a
|
Dimensions |
Length,
14,5 m; Wingspan, 39,9m; Height, 4,6 m |
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