Euro Hawk in systems test flight

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MANCHING, Germany, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- The Euro Hawk unmanned aerial system, equipped with signals intelligence sensors, has completed its first full system test in Germany.

The Northrop Grumman aircraft, based on the RQ-4B Global Hawk UAS, flew Friday for six hours at a height of more than 49,000 feet, according to a joint statement from Northrop and Cassidian of Germany, which provided the sensors and ground station for the aircraft.

"This successful flight demonstrates the EURO HAWK program's systems integration capabilities and cutting-edge technologies," said Bernhard Gerwert, chief executive officer of Cassidian. "The Cassidian-developed SIGINT sensor suite, conforming to the German Bundeswehr's requirements, showed excellent performance within the perfect interplay of the overall system."

"Euro Hawk represents many significant firsts for Northrop Grumman. Not only is it our first trans-Atlantic cooperation with Germany and Cassidian, but it is also the first international version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk produced by the company and the first high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) SIGINT UAS in Europe."

Added Tom Vice, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems: "Euro Hawk represents many significant firsts for Northrop Grumman. Not only is it our first trans-Atlantic cooperation with Germany and Cassidian, but it is also the first international version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk produced by the company and the first high-altitude, long-endurance SIGINT UAS in Europe."