Northrop Grumman and EADS complete Global Hawk compatibility tests

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems sector and EADS Systems and Defence Electronics announced the completion of preliminary compatibility testing of EADS' electronic intelligence (ELINT) payload with Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk at the Integrated Systems facility in San Diego.

The payload is targeted for integration on Global Hawk for a series of flight evaluations for the German Ministry of Defence scheduled for late fall at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and next year in northern Germany.

"We conducted payload integration tests in the spring and early summer at our Global Hawk system integration centre in San Diego," said Gene Ostermann, Northrop Grumman programme manager for the planned German evaluation. "The successful laboratory test series moves us one step closer to integrating the payload on Global Hawk in advance of the flight evaluations."

EADS and Northrop Grumman are working together on a system concept called EURO HAWK, a stand-off surveillance system based on Global Hawk and the needs of the German and other potential European NATO customers. The flight evaluations in Germany pave the way towards a replacement system offered by EADS and Northrop Grumman for the aging Breguet Atlantic SIGINT currently operated in Germany.

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