USAF can perform parts of Global Hawk mission set with "classified platform"

The UCLASS competition aside, I'm interested in the fact that a global hawk style payload was ordered fitted rather than the one planned by Lockheed. 2010 was a long time back and fits if its coming into service around now and is still classified due to appearence and sensors fitted.

reply to post by Astr0


There's actually quite a bit of information about the Avenger out there.

From reading the article, the customer in question wants a Global Hawk, without buying a Global Hawk (as they may not be able to buy them for some reason). Which means Avenger will receive electro-optical sensors, SIGINT sensors, and numerous other Global Hawk style sensors (but not the actual Global Hawk payload). The Avenger will never be able to replace the Global Hawk, simply because the RQ-4B is a dedicated ISR platform, where the Avenger was designed with internal and external weapons stations. If you're going for the ISR mission, both would be good for the role, but if you JUST want ISR, I'd say the Global Hawk beats the Avenger slightly. The Global Hawk gives you 8 hours more loiter time than the Avenger Tail 1, and 10 hours more than the Avenger Tail 2.

Which would tally with the words 'do part of the global hawk mission '. I really do want a big sexy sensorcraft flying wing to come forward into the light, or an x47b look alike with GH capability. However the 'do parts of' statement doesn't seem to say they can do all of it in one airframe. Time will tell on this one.

reply to post by Astr0


I don't know, from what I've heard they can do it all with the new platform, they just want to keep the U-2 flying. They've used creative accounting to justify killing the Block 30 Global Hawk, and keeping the U-2 around, and now they've extended the life of the U-2 a little farther. They want to keep the manned platforms around, while adding to them with the unmanned platforms, so they're going to continue their tradition of lying to Congress to keep that happening.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by Astr0

 

There's actually quite a bit of information about the Avenger out there.

From reading the article, the customer in question wants a Global Hawk, without buying a Global Hawk (as they may not be able to buy them for some reason). Which means Avenger will receive electro-optical sensors, SIGINT sensors, and numerous other Global Hawk style sensors (but not the actual Global Hawk payload).

Hmmm.... foreign, probably not U.K./Canada (who would get good sensors)---Israel is most logical customer. It's to monitor Iran's air defense and nuclear engineering/testing. They love drones but probably don't have experience with such longer range/altitude platforms.

reply to post by mbkennel


That would make sense, it could also be the UAE, or Kuwait. Both have been increasing their air forces lately, including C-17s (in fact one of them recently added a second or third C-17 to their order).