Japan receives latest RQ-4B Global Hawk strategic drone under $500m contract
Japan's Air Self-Defence Force has added a new model to its fleet of Global Hawk strategic drones. A third drone was delivered last week, making it the latest.
Here's What We Know
Japan decided to improve its reconnaissance capabilities by ordering three RQ-4B Global Hawk drones from Northrop Grumman in 2015. Deliveries began in 2022. The first RQ-4B took to the skies in late December.
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- 防衛省・自衛隊 (@ModJapan_jp) June 30, 2023
グローバルホーク到着！！
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６月３０日、防衛省・自衛隊 として初めて導入した高高度・滞空型の大型無人機である #航空自衛隊 #グローバルホーク の３機目が #三沢基地 に到着し、当初の計画のとおり３機体制が完成しました。 pic.twitter.com/QwrZrjeA7J
Costing more than $100 million per drone, the roughly $500 million contract also includes flight test support, two ground control stations, spare parts and additional equipment.
The Northrop Grumman drone can carry a payload of more than 1,300kg. It has a cruising range of more than 22,000 km. The RQ-4B Global Hawk is capable of reaching a speed of 637 km/h and an altitude of around 20 km.
Source: @ModJapan_jp
