RQ-4 Global Hawk

The RQ-4 Global Hawk is the United States' primary high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform, replacing the U-2 in several strategic ISR roles. With a wingspan of 130.9 feet — larger than a Boeing 737 — and powered by a single Rolls-Royce AE3007H turbofan, the Global Hawk cruises at 60,000 feet for up to 32 hours with an Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) that includes a ground-moving target indicator (GMTI) radar, electro-optical camera, and infrared sensor, capable of surveilling 40,000 square nautical miles in a single sortie.

The Global Hawk operates as a persistent strategic eye: USAF Block 40 aircraft with the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) sensor can track hundreds of moving ground targets simultaneously in all weather, while EQ-4 BACN variants serve as airborne communication relay nodes. The US has used Global Hawks extensively for border surveillance, Pacific theater reconnaissance, and monitoring Russian and Chinese military movements. The MQ-4C Triton maritime variant — operated by the US Navy and Australia — provides persistent maritime domain awareness over vast ocean areas.