Defence Online

Global Hawk flight tests for MS-177 Multi-Spectral Sensor

Air March 2, 2017

Flight testing has begun of the MS-177 sensor with a successful inaugural flight on a RQ-4 Global Hawk.

Northrup Grumman has held the first tests of the sensor on a high altitude long-range autonomous craft, looking to extend the mission capabilities of the system.

Able to fly at high altitudes on missions longer than 30 hours, the Global Hawk system is designed to gather near-real time information with high-resolution imagery, over all types of land and in all types of weathers. It has been in service with the US Air Force since 2001, amassing some 200,000 flight hours, and is the premier solution for persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information.

Testing is expected to continue throughout the first half of 2017, with this first successful flight proving the capabilities of the sensor to not only find targets, but also to fix, track and assess those targets through its agility and multiple sensing modalities.

Mick Jaggers, vice president and program manager, Global Hawk program, Northrop Grumman, said: “The MS-177 is the new benchmark in imaging intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance [ISR] sensors and its integration into the Global Hawk platform expands the mission capability we can provide.

“This successful flight is another milestone in an aggressive effort to demonstrate Global Hawk’s versatility and effectiveness in carrying a variety of sensor payloads and support establishing OMS compliancy.”

International Northrup Grumman sensor surveillance UAV US Air Force

Post written by: Vicky Maggiani

Vicky has worked in media for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.